Concussion

Concussion is the biggest concern facing the AFL. This was made obvious with this week’s tribunal decisions.

Jackson Archer colliding with Cleary was an accident, his sole focus was getting the ball and punishing him for that doesn’t feel right to a lot of people.

Ignore the flair but it seems that this is connected to the Maynard incident with Brayshaw in 2023. Dangerfield was on commentary that night and he saw no ill intent despite the devastating result and this was the sentiment of a lot of players and ex players. The AFL didn’t agree and sent the incident to the tribunal but he was eventually found not guilty. The rules were tweaked afterwards and we are seeing the fruits of this.

Archer’s incident wasn’t the only contentious suspension of the weekend. McInerney bumped Starcevich and only made contact with his body but the whiplash caused concussion. This bump wouldn’t have concussed most players, that isn’t a dig at Starcevich who has had a terrible run with concussion but it does show that it is the outcome rather than the action.

Causing concussion is now an offence whether it is accidental or deliberate, it doesn’t seem right to me as it is a contact sport but that is the way the AFL is going.