THE AFL has closed the case on the head-butting incident that cost Hawthorn's Jordan Lewis a two-game suspension but ordered the Essendon forward Angus Monfries to steer clear of staging for free kicks.
Monfries admitted yesterday that he ''took a dive'' in round 14 when he was involved in a clash with Lewis.
''I think Jordan Lewis was really stiff to get the weeks that he did,'' Monfries said before flying out to Adelaide for the game against the Crows at AAMI Stadium tonight.
''I took a dive, it was in front of goal. I was trying to get a goal.''
Monfries also said there was ''nothing much in the Jake King incident either'' after the two clashed during a heated moment in the Bombers' 39-point win against the Tigers last Saturday night.
King faced a possible ban before the match review panel deemed his contact on Monfries was not a reportable offence.
''It's something I've probably got to look at as well. It's something I need to address,'' Monfries said.
The AFL's football operations manager, Adrian Anderson, declared it would be ''better for him and better for the game'' if Monfries resisted any temptation to stage for free kicks in future, but ruled out taking any action against him in the wake of yesterday's comments.
''Staging is not good for the game, but the introduction of rules to stamp it out focused on blatant examples when there was no contact,'' Anderson said.
The AFL brought in sanctions against ''staging'' before the start of this season after consulting with coaches. A player will receive a written reprimand for a first offence and that will remain for the rest of his career.
A second offence will carry an $1800 fine, reduced to $1200 for an early plea, while a third offence will carry a $2400 or $1800 penalty.
In reaching a judgment the match review panel does not seek input from the victim of the contact, unless requested by the defence. As such, Monfries was not required to give evidence in the case against Lewis.
Essendon football manager Paul Hamilton said Monfries was keen to focus on the game and not worry about potential free kicks.
''That's something he's been working on and what he's trying to get across [with his comments] is that if free kicks come, they come, but … he's just going to play the game,'' Hamilton said.
''Every now and again a forward will try and make sure an umpire sees a free kick when it's on, but he's really concentrating on not worrying about that part of his game.''
Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade said he didn't believe staging for free kicks was any worse now than when he began his playing career in the mid 1970s, but felt Monfries had gained a reputation for diving.
''He's the best out of the competition,'' Eade said yesterday.
''Everyone actually pushes the boundaries, so it's up to the adjudicators to work on that … if people can … get free kicks from it, they're going to keep doing it.''
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