Kick - sanfl

6
THE
PHANTOM
the ghost that talks
PROTECTING THE HEAD
lhave been interested in the last
I ifew weeks to look at the
discussion surrounding an article
written by former Melbourne
Demon Russell Robertson.
Talk-back radio and football
television shows have all discussed
the health issues surrounding
concussion in football. There are a
couple of things that interested me
in this which SANFL clubs, like the
AFL clubs, will need to take heed.
As soon as there is contact to the
head clubs will now have to always
err on the side of caution, even
though players will want to go back
on the ground. Legally there is the
opportunity for players to sue the
club if in later life they should
encounter health problems. We
have seen two players seek
damages already – how many more
are there out there
Robertson goes onto suggest that
all players should wear helmets.
How ridiculous!
Can you imagine going to the
football on a Saturday afternoon
and seeing 36 guys running around
all wearing helmets Standing in
the outer it would be very difficult
to determine the difference between
players and for the commentators it
would become a nightmare.
While there is no question
concussion is a most serious injury,
let’s be reasonable. Both the SANFL
and AFL have, in consultation with
medical professionals, adopted a
policy that states concussed
players should not return to the
playing area. But these are
guidelines only and the decision
still rests with the team doctors. In a
good sign, most doctors have long
been and still are standing up and
preventing players from playing on.
A good result I think – do you
believe players should be allowed
to return after being knocked out if
they pass a concussion test
I ventured down South on the
weekend to watch the quadruple
header at Hickinbotham Oval.
Firstly, it was so entertaining to
have all four grades playing on the
one day, at the same venue. So
many of the young kids stuck
around to watch their League
heroes do battle.
There were a number of junior
players playing in helmets. I wonder
if the added attention to head
injuries will lead to further players
donning the head gear. Would you
wear or encourage your children to
wear a helmet if they were running
onto the field
Spitting the dummy
Steve in Wynn Vale wrote into The
Cave last week expressing his
disgust at Richmond full-forward
Jack Riewoldt’s behaviour
when being told he would not
be going back on the field after
being concussed.
Now I was disappointed to see
that once again this week Jack
carry-on like a pork chop a number
of times during his side’s loss to
Hawthorn. Come on Jack giving the
finger as you’re running off the
field, that’s teenage stuff!
I was further upset when I was at
a local League match on the
weekend and a player, who I won’t
name, came off the field and gave it
to some opposition supporters as
he was walking the boundary.
I’m assuming that something
was said to him first but let’s
keep our emotions in check! Our
great game is the best spectacle in
sport let’s not ruin it by little
childish outbursts.
Tell us what you really think
Listening to a number of
local radio stations over the past
few weeks I have been angry at the
same, boring, run-of-the-mill
responses from our League
coaches.
Give us some passion, give us
some emotion and give us some
real information!
Our most colourful League coach
seems to be indicating that we will
get none of the colour that we got
during some of last year’s postmatch
conversations. The response
from a number of coaches when
asked about what is a pass mark
for their club this season has been
met with responses like “we want to
continue to develop our list” or “get