AFL introduce provocation clause

The AFL will introduce rules making it harder for the Tribunal to hand out
suspensions similar to the nine-match ban given to Steven Baker in 2010.
AFL football operations general manager Adrian Anderson announced the changes in a
statement on Wednesday, saying "compelling circumstances" could be taken into
account.
Anderson said the Tribunal may depart from the table of offences only in exceptional
and compelling circumstances that would make it inappropriate or unreasonable to
apply the mandated penalty.
These include where a reportable offence was committed in response to provocation or
in self-defence or where there are multiple reportable offences that arise from the
same event or course of conduct.
Baker was suspended after being charged over four separate incidents arising from St
Kilda's round-13 clash with Geelong in June.
Cats forward Steve Johnson, who served a three-match ban for elbowing Baker, could
claim provocation and possibly face a shorter penalty if he was involved in a
similar incident in 2011.
Financial sanctions for wrestling, melee and misconduct will be doubled for grand
finals, Anderson said, citing a need for consistency.
Reportable offences in grand finals already mean double demerit points.