Collingwood chief executive Craig Kelly has slammed “sensationalist” reporting around Magpies defender Nathan Murphy returning to football after another concussion.
Murphy, 24, was cleared to continue his AFL career after suffering his most recent concussion during the Magpies’ grand-final win last September.
The premiership player was examined by the league’s concussion panel and was ultimately given the green light last December to resume playing.
Kelly took exception to an opinion piece published in News Corp outlets on Monday, questioning if Collingwood and the AFL had done the right thing by allowing Murphy to return to the field.
The story came about after Murphy was assessed following another head knock while being tackled at training last month.
Murphy was cleared by doctors to finish off the session and has continued training since.
“For anyone to write an article that says we’re not looking after our players and reports stuff (when) they haven’t got all the information, they’re not in the inner sanctum, is just wrong,” Kelly said when Collingwood announced a charity shield match against Richmond for Foodbank on Tuesday.
“It doesn’t do anyone any favours and sensationalises something that is really difficult we’re working through.
“I’m glad we’ve had the opportunity to say we care deeply for our people (at Collingwood).
“Ruben Branson, our doctor, is one of the best doctors in Australia in regard to sport, if not the world.
“Every now and then people need to respect how difficult it is for players to read stuff that is not correctly reported.”
Nathan Murphy sustained a concussion during the 2023 grand final. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Former Sydney and St Kilda player Paddy McCartin was forced to retire in August after the league’s concussion experts recommended he stop playing.
Kelly declined to elaborate on the steps taken by Murphy that allowed him to be cleared to continue his career.
“This is a person’s life so I’m not going to disclose what happens with conversations with the doctors, with the confidential information that we share in a very tight group of people,” he said.
Last week, a minimum 21-day break between a concussion and the resumption of competitive contact or collision sport was announced for grassroots level in Australia.
The AFL is dealing with an ongoing class action from dozens of former players against the league relating to concussion.
Kelly was open to the possibility of AFL players signing waivers to prevent lawsuits relating to concussion in the future.
“I’m not the lawyer in the room so I’ll let that one work through with the powers to be,” he said.
“There’s some really interesting things we need to protect and look after the directors of our clubs because every board member is a director and every director is with a company liable and exposed.
“I don’t think that’s appropriate for our directors who basically give their time for nothing.
“It’s a really important one we address and look after those people as much as everyone else in our club.”
AFL football boss Laura Kane wouldn’t be drawn on Kelly’s suggestion of waivers.
“We’ll continue to be guided by the medical experts,” she said on Tuesday when announcing rule changes ahead of the upcoming season.
“We have six people here (at the AFL) that are employed to work on concussion.
“We have doctors at all of our clubs and we’ll continue to be guided by the advice of those experts.”
Macca
Roar Rookie
Quoting you is a mental health condition?
Opps74
Roar Rookie
There you go again Macca = EUPD
Macca
Roar Rookie
Howisit my ranting when all I did was post quotes from you? If it is a rant, the rant is yours by definition
Opps74
Roar Rookie
It's your unnecessary ranting macca
Macca
Roar Rookie
What is negative about pointing out that you did use the word "media" when George Apps claimed you didn't?
Opps74
Roar Rookie
Gee...you must love the obscurity that chat groups offer you with your child like comments and behaviour...if you could offer some football debate on this chat that wasn't so negative. I am sure you are like everyone else macca who enjoy afl, but you should attempt to at least consider both sides of an opinion that are not solely based on playground bullying
Macca
Roar Rookie
Opps74 Opps74 Roar Rookie February 8th 2024 @ 10:32am Kelly absolutely right…surprise surprise the media over sensationalising a story on a pies player
George Apps
Roar Rookie
Could not find that at all.
Macca
Roar Rookie
Mental Health shouldn't be a source of humour.
mrl
Roar Rookie
Yep. If he goes in half-hearted he will be injured for sure. He’s still a work-in-progress with the Aussie Football.
Macca
Roar Rookie
Another year and you still lose your s..t at the slightest hint of a negative comment about the Pies
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
My favourite part is the cop who drives out of town to interview the witness, clearing snow, who “called it in”. The dialogue is so fqnfunny.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
When l wear Scottish garb that's not all that gets out of kilter
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
This kid was too built like a Rugby player. It was like a WRX snotting an Aussie V8. Watchout for the 'hobbies'
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Yes, I watched Fargo too.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Using a wood chipper is preferable to alternatives such as burning.
PriddisJunior
Roar Rookie
It’s definitely better to knock heads tactic like your mates did
PriddisJunior
Roar Rookie
A news corp… * Collingwood supporter would say that
PriddisJunior
Roar Rookie
The dude has been concussed that many times. What are yous doing… if he wants to play, let him play. But don’t act like this.
mrl
Roar Rookie
He is built like a Rugby player. He will still do the goalkeeping, Aussie Rules is a hobby for him.