DARREN MONCRIEFF
Monday 26 March 2012
SOUTH Fremantle legend Toby McGrath is free to play after escaping censure from the WAFL after several tweets criticising an AFL player from an on-field incident last weekend.
However, the Sandover and Simpson medallist's recent online actions could be the catalyst for the league to introduce a uniform policy in line with the AFL's on the growing use by players of Twitter and Facebook.
McGrath (pictured) was livid at West Coast Eagles player Mitch Brown, who was playing for East Fremantle, following an incident that left McGrath's Bulldogs team-mate Mason Shaw with a broken cheek bone.
The two Fremantle teams were playing in a pre-season practice match.
"Dog act by @mitchbrownie breaking a kids jaw (sic) behind the play," McGrath tweeted. "Possible criminal charges to be proposed by SFFC."
A tweet with a similar theme was later removed.
While the WAFL has the power to suspend players who make inflammatory comments on social media sites, it has deemed McGrath's tweets non-suspendable.
The WAFL investigated the Brown-Shaw incident but has ruled it to be an accident.
The original incident sparked an online war of words between Brown's West Coast team-mates and team-mates of Shaw's.
McGrath is one of just nine Indigenous footballers who have won the WAFL's Sandover Medal, the league's fairest-and-best.
AboriginalFootball@westnet.com.au
Last Modified on 26/03/2012 17:19