AFL must curb injury numbers
Roar Guru The AFL should release the injury statistics for the midway point of this year’s season and compare it to that of past seasons.
I get a sense that the 18-team, 24-game competition and the rules of the game are potentially at odds with one another.
The AFL Players Association should take the time to delve into the injury issues before someone is incapacitated for life, or worse.
If that sounds dramatic, then a death in the AFL – while sometimes not preventable – might become the games’ worst nightmare.
Reports filter back every week that the football managements at clubs spends their entire weeks looking after players in rehab and resting them before the next game.
The reports indicate that body contact drills and hard contests are almost non-existent at mid-week practice sessions by AFL clubs.
This points to the fact that the 23-24-25 players engaged each week are either injured badly; injured moderately; carrying strains, bumps and bruises into the following games; or relatively injury free but fatigued from constant battering over a 15-week period.
I do not think this is a healthy picture.
This is not netball. Nor is it soccer. The grounds are hard and the landings harder.
The head and body clashes have been frightening. Head protection is non-existent.
Shoulder protection is not-existent. Joint injuries in the leg are almost at breakout levels.
Rugby league players mostly face their direct opponents. Not to say they offer players freedom from severe injury, they do not. But injuries of the type that the young Carlton forward suffered last weekend bring the nightmare scenario into keen focus.
The AFL has been otherwise fantastic in protecting the image of the game and bringing the notion of responsibility/correct mental health into the lives of its players.
Now it’s time for the AFL to take some responsibility for the physical wellbeing of its players. The league should initiate an inquiry into the injury factor in AFL football today.
The Crowd Says (8) | Page 1 of Comments
Have Your Say
- Explore:
- AFL, injury in sport
July 11th 2012 @ 7:05am
Frankie321 said | July 11th 2012 @ 7:05am | Report comment
Yes, head injuries in particular are ugly to watch. For example, the first facial injury to Jonothan Brown and the recent hit on Kade Simpson’s head. The AFL should take strong steps to prevent head injuries.
July 11th 2012 @ 8:30am
Cameron said | July 11th 2012 @ 8:30am | Report comment
The AFL has already taken strong steps to avoid head injuries. That is why you see free kicks paid to even touches on an opponent’s head. Even if they introduced hard helmets it would not prevent concussions. The experience of the NFL proves this.
July 11th 2012 @ 11:04am
Jacques said | July 11th 2012 @ 11:04am | Report comment
It’s a contact sport,that’s it. Afl is a seriously dangerous sport to play but how do you fix it? Impossible
July 11th 2012 @ 11:20am
Matt F said | July 11th 2012 @ 11:20am | Report comment
The increased speed and physicality would be major reasons for injuries you would think. If you could slow that down then it should result in less injuries, particularly collision based injuries. The best way to reduce the speed of the game, is generally to reduce the number of interchanges. This seems to be atrend across many sports. Obviously the sub rule hasn’t done this, and I can’t see a 2-2 sub rule having any impact either. The only certain way to reduce the number of interchanges would be to put a cap on the number of interchanges clubs can make in a game. Work out a number, whether it’s 60, 80, 100, 120 or whatever, and ensure that clubs can’t make any more then that many interchanges in a game.
July 11th 2012 @ 1:44pm
onside said | July 11th 2012 @ 1:44pm | Report comment
‘……. reduce the number of interchanges’
How about no interchanges.None.Except for injury.And then the injured player must either stay off for say fifteen minutes, or, if well into the last quarter,the rest of the game.
The result would be a need for players to pace themselves more.Less reckless.Less manic.LESS INJURIES
A fitter,prudently paced side ,would see the result in the last quarter as the opposition tired.
That was once an honourable tactic,to gradually wear the opposition down.
AFL needs to reintroduce a touch of the spirit of marathon, rather than just relying on a series of fifty metre sprints.
Players must get injured when pushed to extreme. It’s inevetable.But at what price.The loss of superb athletes and neverending professional clutter around the ball.
Slow it down a bit. No interchanges, except for injuries.
July 11th 2012 @ 4:24pm
Brewski said | July 11th 2012 @ 4:24pm | Report comment
Limit the amount of interchanges, who wants to see 20 or 30 players around the ball constantly , who wants to see really good skillfull players injured because a of close in rolling rugby style maul is demanded by coaches, Fyfe, Freo and Lyon spring to mind !!.
The head and neck must be protected religiously by the umpires.
One more thing, when Dyson Heppel ran with the flight of the ball into a oncoming pack, was that brave or was it stupid ?, or a combination of both, ? http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/a/Video:-Vote-for-Heppell's-courageous-mark/9415
IMO it was stupid, commentators called it brave, what would have happened if he had broke his leg, knocked out his own teammate or worse, you hear many junior coaches calling for the kids to keep your eye on the ball, and your head over the ball, and you will find kids carrying out those instructions to the detriment of themselves.
Players must keep their eye on the ball, but they also must be aware of what is going on around them, in fact, the latter is probably more important.
The meaning of keeping your eyes on the ball, has been lost in the translation, keeping your eyes on the ball does not mean keeping your eyes solely on the ball, it means go the ball, not the man, but many junior coaches think keeping your eyes on the ball, means solely that.
If everyone kept their eyes solely on the ball there would be a hundred concussions every week.
Their needs to be a culture change in regards to this in footy.
July 11th 2012 @ 4:49pm
Matt F said | July 11th 2012 @ 4:49pm | Report comment
Brave and stupid aren’t always mutually exclusive
July 11th 2012 @ 5:40pm
Brewski said | July 11th 2012 @ 5:40pm | Report comment
Agreed, and i allude to that in my post, the commentators said it was really brave, like it was a great thing, in that particular situation i don’t agree, very fine line between bravery and stupidity.
It is a conundrum of Australian football, because of the 360% physical game.
The injury toll is high and getting higher, across all levels of the game, should we slow down the AFL, then the grass roots will follow.