Steve Hocking explains the different outcomes for two high-profile bumps

Two high-profile bumps in Round 5 have resulted in vastly different outcomes.

Hawthorn’s Ryan Burton is free to play next week after being cleared of a bump that sent Kangaroo Shaun Higgins to hospital, while Port’s Lindsay Thomas was rubbed out for three weeks for a bump on Scott Selwood.

The Cat midfielder missed the rest of the game with concussion.

The 3AW Football team grilled AFL football operations manager Steven Hocking about the different decisions.

Hocking said the difference is Burton’s bump did not make contact with Higgins’ head.

“He executed a perfect bump,” Hocking said.

“A lot of people get caught up in the outcome.

“They look at Shaun being taken off to hospital in an ambulance and get concerned about that. We totally get that.

“(The head-clash) was incidental after the event.”

Hocking said the rules around head contact arising from bumps were “well communicated” before the season.

Click PLAY for the full interview