Watch explosive moment footy coach and journo CLASH as debate rages over controversial headlock: ‘Are you serious!?’

The tension was palpable in the Fox Sports studio on Monday night as Mark Robinson and Luke Beveridge went head to head over the weekend’s talking points.

The Western Bulldogs coach has fiercely defended his forward Cody Weightman after questions were raised about the free kicks he was awarded during Saturday’s win over North Melbourne.

Kangaroos coach Alastair Clarkson caused a stir by urging referees to be wary of ‘milking’ free kicks after Weightman was given several dubious penalties.

In a response to AFL360, Beveridge claimed that Clarkson had been ‘baited’ into making his comments by the media. He strongly disagreed with Robinson’s claims that the free kicks were soft.

Beveridge cited an incident in which North star Jackson Archer caught Weightman with his arm up as the small forward lowered his body and said: “Do you approve of players being able to do that 80 yards or however far from the spot of play it is?

“Is that what you’re saying? So what did Cody do there that someone else wouldn’t have done?

“He was just trying to get out of a chokehold! And yet he was criticized for it. Are you serious?”

The explosive exchange went like this…

Luke Beveridge: ‘You know I’m going to be dancing on the field here.

‘Sometimes we talk about continuums, and if we have bravery on one end and cowardice on the other, Cody Weightman almost falls over the threshold of the brave end of the continuum.

“We’re talking about a young guy who’s been playing with a dislocated elbow. He’s had it three times and had to have surgery. He plays with the speed and the courage of the best small forwards in the game, and that’s why he’s such a good player.

“And there was not a single decision that was not correct. So how he could come into the sights is beyond me. Now I will judge him from this side, those who point at him must judge for themselves where they are on the continuum. But he is a star, he has so much courage and I will protect him and stand up for him, no matter how long the day is.”

Mark Robinson: ‘Do you think people question his courage? No one questions his courage, he’s a fantastic player.

LB: ‘What do you see in the examples?’

MR: ‘The example where Archer puts his hands up and puts his head under his arm, I thought that was an old ‘forward pocket’…

LB: ‘The one who doesn’t grab the ball? He’s grabbed it by the head if he doesn’t grab the ball.

MR: ‘The back of the- yeah.

LB: ‘It’s a clear incident without the ball and it’s not a free kick?

MR: ‘I don’t know if it was outright blatant.

LB: ‘So you’re okay with, 80 yards or however far it is from the play, players being able to do that? Is that what you’re saying? So what did Cody do there that anyone else wouldn’t have done? All he did was try to get out of a chokehold! And yet he was criticized for it. Are you serious?

Beveridge defended small forward Cody Weightman against criticism

MR: ‘I didn’t think it was a chokehold.

LB: ‘What did he do wrong there? He got grabbed around the neck? So what happened was a journalist lured Clarko in, Clarko pretty much said look, don’t make decisions like some of the decisions we talked about in the Geelong game that have a significant impact on the outcome, Clarko says you have to let some of them go if they’re trivial. None of Cody’s were trivial, they were all there. I don’t know if he was lured in too long, but some of the names that Cody was called by a journalist, I mean, respect the lad.

MR: ‘Seriously, what names? I don’t know-

LB: ‘Don’t you read other material, but only pay attention to what you’ve written yourself?

MR: ‘There is so much to read these days.

LB: ‘I’ll leave it up to you to read the rest.

MR: ‘I will, I’ll follow up on it tonight.’