Midweek Tackle reacts to Luke Parker's suspension, where to go now with veteran Swan, Sydney, Frankston Dolphins, Josh Smith, latest news, reactions

Pundits have reflected on the VFL's controversial decision to suspend Luke Parker for six weeks, raising doubts about his future at the long-standing Sydney club.

Speech at Fox Footy's Tackle during the weekHerald Sun journalists Jon Ralph, Glenn McFarlane and Jay Clark explained Parker's new situation – starting with his sentence.

“It took my breath away – I think we all thought, 'Four weeks plus, that's fine,'” Ralph said at the start.

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“But then you hear six weeks, and of course we'll make the comparison to Jimmy Webster jumping off the ground to hit Jy Simpkin – it was a much more deliberate act, of course there was a concussion there, and that was seven weeks; How often do we actually define the frame of reference?”

The setback comes at the worst possible time for Parker as he has built up a vital chance of playing in the top team after being snubbed following a broken arm injury.

He has averaged 30 disposals and just under seven tackles per game in the month since his return, and it is widely considered to be very unlucky that he was not in the Sydney AFL team before his suspension.

“He's back in about the 18th round, he's been out of this team for about a month already – he was fit, you can't be wrong, and they didn't play him; “Now what does this mean for his ability to get to this site?” Ralph asked the panel.

“At the end of the day, his season is almost over – unless they have some injuries, which they might have too,” McFarlane replied.

“The VFL tribunal wanted six weeks, the Swans argued for four; They thought it was probably along those lines – they were trying to argue that Luke Parker had only had one problem (suspension) in his 14-year career.

“It's a serious, serious injury – let me read this out, Clarky: Unconscious, suffered a concussion, multiple orbital fractures – get this – surgery if he can have surgery.

“I think it’s fair, I think that had to happen – it had to be a six-week suspension.”

Jay Clark and Ralph then speculated about the former captain's future at the Swans, with interest in Parker undoubtedly increasing as time went on.

“It's unclear whether he'll play in Sydney again – I'm just a bit surprised the good guy factor wasn't considered,” Clark said.

“Luke Parker, who we respect as much as anyone else in the competition – yes, it was a big blow, but if Charlie Cameron gets a one-game discount for his bump at the start of the year, I thought Luke Parker's performance would be downgraded a bit. “ .”

Ralph responded with what he thought might have resulted from Parker's initial snub and his now extended absence from both AFL and VFL football.

“I don't see any chance of him playing at North Melbourne, but I could certainly see him playing somewhere else next year,” stressed Ralph.

“He has another year on a four-year contract for about $700,000 a year; I just think there will be so many clubs that would apply for him… Does he play another year (in Sydney) and his career is basically over – or does he go to a club like St Kilda or Adelaide? or Collingwood; One of those clubs who feel they could be in the race for the Premier League next year.

“It’s almost a Jordan Lewis-style deal – you get two years in one (contract) clause.”

“If you put him in a good team, he could win a Grand Final for you – even if he doesn’t win a single flagship with Sydney this season.”

Parker will next be eligible for AFL selection on July 13 against North Melbourne, or alternatively for the VFL on the same weekend against the Kangaroos.