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Port Adelaide’s Aliir Aliir and Lachie Jones have been ruled out of the club’s game against Geelong this week as the AFL reacted to their sickening clash in the Showdown.
The AFL released a statement on Monday that read:
“The AFL has issued the Port Adelaide Football Club with a please explain regarding the concussion protocol management of Aliir Aliir, specifically in relation to the Club’s decision not to undertake a SCAT5 concussion test following the Head Injury Assessment (HIA) that occurred during the third quarter of Saturday night’s showdown at Adelaide Oval. Aliir returned to play after the initial HIA without a SCAT5 being undertaken.
“In absence of the SCAT5 test occurring and out of an abundance of caution, the Port Adelaide Football Club has decided to enter Aliir into AFL Concussion protocols and he will be unable to participate, at a minimum, in the clubs Round 21 match this week vs the Geelong Cats.
“Upon further review after being substituted on Saturday night, Port Adelaide player Lachie Jones, who was involved in the collision with Aliir, has also entered AFL Concussion protocols.
“Both players will now need to undertake and medically pass the mandatory 11-step, minimum 12-day process before returning to play. The AFL’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Michael Makdissi will continue to liaise with Port Adelaide Club doctors in the monitoring both players progress.”
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley had bristled at the suggestion that Aliir Aliir returned to the field without being properly assessed on Saturday.
Aliir collided with Jones in a marking contest after running back with the flight of the ball, causing play to be stopped early in the second term.
Aliir Aliir. (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Both Power players had to be helped to their feet and looked set to be ruled out of the contest, but Aliir did not undergo a head injury assessment and returned to the field just minutes later.
Jones passed a head injury assessment but was subbed out at halftime due to a migraine.
“It was played out through the right hands and that was the doctor. The doctor made those decisions based around both players,” Hinkley said.
“He was really, really clear, and really, really certain to me, and Aliir was too, with Aliir in particular.
“I can tell you because I actually sat and spoke with Aliir, and Aliir spoke with me clear as he could be.
“The doctor was very, very comfortable that the situation was well and truly okay, and that he (Aliir) was able to go back on.”
Aliir went on to play out the match and finished lining up on Taylor Walker as the Crows’ veteran forward ran riot.
Walker booted seven goals to lead the Crows to a rousing triumph that reignited their finals hopes while also securing his first Showdown Medal as Aliir was among several Power defenders unable to contain him.
“He went back out there and played the whole game, so I don’t think there was too many problems with Aliir other than he got beaten badly,” Hinkley said.
“But he was getting beaten by Taylor Walker for a fair bit of the night.”
The Power were scrutinised last season when captain Tom Jonas and onballer Zak Butters clashed heads late in a match against Richmond but did not undergo head injury assessments.
Hinkley also backed veteran Port doctor Mark Fisher’s judgement at that time.
Jones was assessed following the collision with Aliir and watched the second half from the bench.
“Lachie didn’t fail a concussion test, but he didn’t come back on. We subbed him out,” Hinkley said.
“In fact, at the end, he basically was subbed out with a migraine. But he’d done the concussion test and he passed the concussion test.”
The Power have now lost three consecutive matches following a 13-game winning streak that propelled them into the top two.
The latest defeat ensures second spot – and a home final in week one – is still up for grabs with Port Adelaide one win ahead of Brisbane with four matches still to play.
“Clearly it’s concerning. But footy seasons are always made up of chunks,” Hinkley said.
“You get your opportunity in a whole season to build your season and we’ve done that really well.
“We’re in a little patch at the moment that we’d much rather not be in, but we won’t be staying in this patch.
“We’ll do everything we can to get out of this patch and we’ll continue on and qualify as high as we possibly can.”
(With AAP)
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