WHITE Line Fever is The Standard's newest footy column, tackling all the hard-hitting issues facing the game in south-west Victoria. This week, sports journalist NICK ANSELL tackles the hot topics.
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IF community footy is serious about protecting players from head knocks, surely it has to follow the AFL's lead and look to implement concussion substitutes.
The elite level introduced a new medical substitute rule for 2021. It is only allowed if a club doctor deems the injured player unfit to continue the match and unfit to play in any match for at least the next 12 days.
Medical rulings are obviously much easier to make when you have two working doctors present at each match, particularly when it comes to concussion.
Concussion isn't easy to diagnose. They're almost always different depending on the severity of the knock, which part of the head was hit and how long a person was unconscious. That's why the AFL is letting doctors make the call.
At community footy level, trainers do an excellent job in recognising a potential knock and administering immediate treatment.
We take our responsibility very seriously, not just at the elite level but at community level.
- Brad Scott
AFL Victoria's Community Concussion Guidelines urge any player suspected of suffering concussion to be examined immediately by a medical doctor, whether it be at the ground, at a general practitioner clinic or at the emergency room.
But we all know what players are like.
Some don't want to let the team down. Some want to keep playing. Some know their side will be down an interchange rotation if they come off. Some pretend to be OK. They might feel OK initially, as sometimes symptoms emerge later on.
It's noble at first glimpse but at the end of the day, no one should be risking their brain health on a footy field.
Introducing a concussion substitute that could be activated when a player suffers a potential head knock might encourage more honesty as players will know their team won't be down a man.
It might encourage them to stay off the field and seek treatment.
There's a counter-argument which says injuries are part of footy and teams have to adapt and adjust on the run.
But while broken bones and torn muscles will more than likely heal, even if players try to play through them, concussions may cause irreparable damage to the brain.
AFL Victoria boss Brad Scott said community footy's top body was taking the issue seriously when The Standard quizzed him on the notion in March.
"(The community concussion guidelines) have been a really big piece of work the AFL has undertaken as the keeper of the code," he said.
"We take our responsibility very seriously, not just at the elite level but at community level.
"In a lot of ways it's almost even more important there are really clear guidelines at community level because in a lot of cases there aren't full-time doctors at games, whereas AFL games are fortunate to have two full-time doctors at games.
"So we need to make sure there are really clear guidelines to support the community around that."
The multiple Brisbane Lions premiership player said AFL Victoria would urge community leagues to take strong measures to ensure player safety was ensured.
"We'll certainly encourage leagues to take whatever measures they think are necessary to ensure player safety is paramount," he said.
The buck shouldn't stop with individual leagues though. A concussion substitute as a mandate from AFL Victoria would ensure player safety is paramount.
Yes, it would require honesty, and yes, it would require trainers to make a call.
But really, what's there to lose? Being proactive, forward-thinking and progressive is surely best practice.
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