RICHMOND star Alex Rance should have been let off for his hit on Demon Jack Watts, coaching great Mick Malthouse has sensationally suggested, claiming the Tiger’s “model citizen” status should have played a part in his punishment.

Rance yesterday accepted a two-match ban for what he described as a “dumb, stupid” act in elbowing Watts in the back of the head on Sunday night, and apologised to the Melbourne forward.

But Malthouse has labelled the ban “ludicrous” and believes “model citizen” Rance should have been afforded some leniency due to his standing in the game and good character.

“I think it was over the top,” Malthouse said on SEN.

That is nowhere near a two-week suspension. I think Rance is really, really stiff to get those two weeks.

Mick Malthouse

“In my book, that is nowhere near a two-week suspension.

“We know it was done in frustration but we have got to be careful in trying to deem what is a good look for the game.

“When we start judging what’s good and bad for the game instead of just looking at the incident ... I think Rance is really, really stiff to get those two weeks.”

Malthouse suggested that the likes of Rance, a two-time All-Australian and reigning Richmond best and fairest winner, should be offered no penalty on the proviso that such an act doesn’t happen again.

“I might be a little bit different here,” he said.

“You’d look at that and be very selective and very cautious ... I know people will say there’s no consistency, but it does the right thing for the game.

“We’ve got an All-Australian centre half back. OK, you can’t be lenient on an all-star, but the fact is he’s a model citizen. It’s out of character. It’d be nothing for the football operations manager to ring him up and say ‘Rancey, we can’t take this again. If there’s anything like that again I’m going to give you four weeks. You’ve had your first chance’.”

media_camera Alex Rance was suspended for striking Jack Watts, left, to the back of the head on Sunday night. Picture: Getty Images

The former Collingwood and Carlton coach said “it was a slap” and that he would have let him off.

“It’s a bit like (Sam) Mitchell kneeing last year and then doing it again,” he said.

“You don’t knock over a bloke like that. You say to him ‘we’ve seen it, it doesn’t look that great, but because you’ve been an icon of the game I’m going to give you a bit of leniency but it’s the last bit of leniency you get’.

“The most important thing is to get things right. And I would have just let him off.

“(Someone who hasn’t played many games) you should say ‘no, you wear this and it should be a good lesson for life’.

“But Rance has been such a good thing for football, then there’s got to be a bit of leniency.”