HAWTHORN great Dermott Brereton has slammed the Match Review Panel and the AFL's rules committee after Geelong's Paul Chapman was suspended for the Friday night blockbuster preliminary final.

Chapman accepts ban, will miss clash

 

Brereton, who was reported 17 times for a total of 39 matches, said he "felt sorry" for Chapman who joins Hawks forward Lance Franklin in missing a final for comparable head-high bumps.

 

Chapman accepted a one-match ban for his hit on Robbie Gray in Geelong's semi-final win over Port Adelaide. He will be eligible for the Grand Final should the Cats progress.

 

"Hopefully in the future we can find that the rules committee, the people who adjudicate on this can see reason on this that it's a contact sport and things are going to go wrong," Brereton said.

 

"As long as it's not heinous, it isn't malicious, it isn't untoward in terms of deliberately totally wanting to injure somebody, this should be met with a down the field, a 50 metre (penalty), or even if it gets a little bit worse than that, a fine of $900.

 

'I feel sorry for Chappy, I feel sorry for Buddy. I don't think either of them should miss."

 

Brereton said Geelong midfielder and 2013 All Australian captain Joel Selwood was critical to the Cats' chances of extending the 'Kennett Curse' to 12 matches.

 

"You see Geelong aren't winning that many clearances," he said.

 

"When you talk about solo hands it really leads Joel Selwood to be the No.1, put your head over the ball, get your head kicked in but still win it (player). 

"He's got to run a solo hand literally with that because some of the other boys are no longer fleet of foot enough to go through the middle of the ground. 

"If Selwood doesn't have a blinder, they're going to find it tough."