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)
AdamDilligafThompson
Roar Rookie
Lmfao love it.lol. :laughing:
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Well, it’s a matter of taste and yes I’m a bit of a polemicist. But no, l dont think so. My body has a negative somatic reaction to Jazz and l don’t like Country except for Johnny Cash. I like some Blues funnily enough. I like Van Morrison’s Ballads and Rock stuff but not his Jazz. I do have 2 Jazz lite albums but that’s because they’re Neil Young; that’s acceptable because it is him. The greatest Canadian to have ever lived. Not perfect but it’s my opinion. And I understand that you have yours
XI
Roar Guru
Do you think folk rock isn't like 50 per cent jazz, 50 per cent country?
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Jazz just makes the skin on my back want to leave my spine
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Jazz has grown on me over the years, my hearing is not great since multiple bouts of the rona and jazz has grown on me particularly after watching Thunderbolt
Scyphus
Roar Rookie
To me, what this whole episode makes abundantly clear is that we still don't actually know Jack SCAT about concussions and brain injuries in general. We know a fair bit anecdotally and epidemiologically (which is to say about the average of large groups) but essentially nothing about individual cases. Maybe one guy's head is heavier (Patrick Dangerfield?) and therefore doesn't rebound much through the collision. Maybe another guy's intracranial fluid pressure is higher which buffers shock transmission to his brain. But instead of an actual ability to assess individual situations, we have one one-size-fits-all procedure which is the best we have given the AFL's desire to
keep its nest featheredprotect the players.Scyphus
Roar Rookie
And yet you are here reading and commenting.
RT
Roar Rookie
Paranoid much?
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Rock, grunge, folk-rock are good. Ship stopped from listing :laughing:
XI
Roar Guru
You're just a bad take factory, aren't you?
Eagles 18
Roar Rookie
All good :thumbup: I (unintentionally) instigated your fn response :laughing:
Dibbs
Roar Rookie
You don't need a medical degree to see neither player should have set foot on the field again after that. Had Aliir taken another knock, it could have been a trajedy. A football game is not worth that kind of risk. Surely the doc has to start looking for another job, he's a liabilty; pure negligence.
AdamDilligafThompson
Roar Rookie
No worries at all man, thank you for that as well not many people out there in the real world or on the internet actually have the balls to admit they've made a mistake these days it's a very rare thing indeed and I'll also apologise as I was definitely on edge myself this morning and both our worlds just happened to collide.lol.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Noooooooo
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
As long as it's not heard. Jazz is a woeful genre of music.
XI
Roar Guru
Yeah. That should only be for Jazz singers
Eagles 18
Roar Rookie
Adam, my apologies mate. My rant wasn’t directed at you. I made an amateur mistake and replied to your comment instead of posting as a general comment. :shocked: Cornes has already infected me with his amateur performance of late :laughing: It’s not your fault of other people behaviours, actions and statements.
Eagles 18
Roar Rookie
AdamDilligafThompson
Roar Rookie
Well maybe you should take this up with kane because it has sweet f all to do with me. And I think looking at west coast thats a how many games in how many years now have they won. Yes injuries have had a part to do with it but so has the list management and the standards at the club. But again tell somebody that gives a f because I actually admire and respect the Eagles supporters for all they've been through they've still stuck by their club and keep turning up to games. Which is awesome dedication and support of your club through thick and thin but to compare that to Ken is two totally different kettle of fish, in my opinion anyway.
AdamDilligafThompson
Roar Rookie
Well it probably should then shouldn't it. Nothing like abit sensationalism to get clicks and likes in the world we live now.