The AFL is in over their head relating to methods to deal with the difficulty of excessive contact and concussion.
Steven Hocking, the top of soccer operations, has so far confirmed inept at discovering and speaking a transparent path by an infinitely complicated subject material.
Mixed messages from AFL House are nothing new, and it’s usually by no means extra obvious than when coping with choices made by the Match Review Officer, previously the Match Review Panel. Since the long-term results of concussion have reared their ugly head lately, the decision-making course of has change into cloudier nonetheless.
But in the previous couple of weeks, we’ve seen a daft and bewildering set of judgments.
The rot actually began in Round 10, when Lachie Plowman was suspended for tough conduct on Jaegar O’Meara, regardless of making contact with O’Meara and spoiling the ball on the identical time. Nick Holman executed what was by consensus the proper deal with in an absolute soccer motion on Mitch Duncan, and was handed a two-match ban that was overturned on the tribunal.
The scene had been set. O’Meara and Duncan had each been concussed of their incidents. Despite each occurring throughout a correct soccer contest, the heavy hand of the regulation was going to return down exhausting going ahead.
Round 13 noticed the a lot publicised incident with David Mackay cleansing up Hunter Clark, which was despatched straight to the tribunal. Mackay attacked the ball as exhausting as any participant might and Clark paid the value for his lack of consciousness.
There was one other incident in Round 13 that drew a lot much less consideration, though it arguably ought to have attracted extra.
Cat Lachie Henderson leapt into the air to take Port’s Todd Marshall out of a contest, knocking him into subsequent week earlier than he hit the bottom – at no stage did Henderson’s arms attain out, at no stage did he try to mark the ball, and at no level did his arms rise out of a bump place.
Despite Plowman, Holman and Mackay all being despatched to Coventry for accidents born out of soccer actions, the MRO, underneath the steering of Hocking, noticed match that Henderson had no case to reply regardless of by no means remotely contesting the ball and even getting inside a metre of it.
If we need to return to final season, on grand closing evening we noticed Patrick Dangerfield knock Nick Vlastuin out chilly with an outstretched forearm to the face. We see a whole bunch and a whole bunch of collisions every week in footy, and each single time gamers someway keep away from brutally knocking out an opponent with that motion, particularly when the ball is 2 metres away for the time being of influence.
Rather than getting a four-to-six-week suspension, the MRO, underneath the steering Hocking, noticed match that Dangerfield had no case to reply.
I ponder if Adelaide’s Jake Kelly, when he regained consciousness, had time to replicate on whether or not Dangerfield ought to have been suspended after being ruthlessly knocked out by the identical participant in Round 1.
Five instances talked about above, that resulted in a participant being knocked out and/or concussed and not one distant thread of consistency among the many MRO findings. Well, there’s one. Steve Hocking.
Then on the weekend, whereas not a collision that led to concussion, Joel Selwood decided to attack the face of defenceless opponent Bailey Dale whereas he lay susceptible on the bottom. Selwood did no extra and at least Toby Greene did in opposition to Lachie Neale in 2019, an incident for which Greene was suspended.
Once once more, the MRO, underneath the steering of Hocking, noticed match that Selwood didn’t meet the factors for suspension.
Hocking has embarrassed himself with how usually he seems to make his guidelines on the run when coping with concussion. Not content material to implement the principles, he has openly admitted that he is trying to overrule them with the instances which can be being charged and/or despatched to the tribunal. All within the pursuits of participant security.
Steve Hocking needs mid-season trades in subsequent season. (Stefan Postles/Getty Images)
Todd Marshall and Nick Vlastuin, together with the remainder of us, could be proper to really feel miffed.
So far, the tribunal has overturned the Holman case and rightfully discovered Mackay not responsible. Hocking has said that he has no intention of backing down, and will forcefully attempt to present an answer to an issue that doesn’t exist.
Australian Rules soccer is a 360-degree collision sport, with an oval ball that bounces at unusual angles, and energy athletes skilled to be fierce at each contest. Accidents, head knocks and concussions are going to occur. The dangers and hazard are inherent and in reality a key part of making the game nice.
The gamers have made peace with this. The followers have all the time identified it. Hopefully the administration may get on board.
