AFL has a problem with violence and thuggery and parents will start to steer their children away from the game because of it, according to sports journalist Phillip ‘Buzz’ Rothfield.

His comments come in the wake of Ty Vickery’s ‘lenient’ four-week suspension by the AFL Tribunal after the Tiger king hit Dean Cox in the face.

Speaking on Sports Today, Buzz said the league needs to implement a sin-bin rule to combat on-field attacks.

‘I look at it this way: I don’t have too many problems with the four weeks [given to Vickery], you’re probably right it should be six,’ he said.

‘But I reckon you’ve got a big problem with your game.

‘And why don’t you have a send-off rule? Why don’t you have a sin bin?

‘Let’s face it, [Vickery] came from behind, it was basically a king hit. It’s just outright thuggery.’

Rothfield said it’s a blight on the game that a player can seriously injure another player and remain on the field.

‘What if he’d broken his jaw? The guy would have stayed on the field for the rest of the game and then deal with it Monday/Tuesday night.

‘I don’t think think that’s the right way of doing it.’

Buzz added that the AFL is in a battle with rugby league and soccer for the next generation’s hearts and minds and violent incidents like Vickery’s and Brian Lake’s will put youngsters off.

‘I’ve said to you guys many, many times, AFL is the same as all the other winter sports in Australia, they’re in competition, they want mums and dads to steer them into AFL but with this sort of thuggery they’re not going to do it.’

LISTEN IN FULL: Buzz Rothfield says AFL has a problem with thugs