In today’s AFL briefing:
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AFL medical chief to present at Amsterdam concussion conference
Jon Pierik
The AFL’s chief medical officer will present at an international conference on concussion in Amsterdam this month, an event which could reshape the return-to-play protocols for serious head knocks.
Dr Michael Makdissi, who a year ago replaced Dr Peter Harcourt as the league’s top medical officer, is listed as one of 31 experts, along with David Maddocks, a former AFL concussion working group member and a former Cricket Victoria chairman, attending the two-day event.
Makdissi was Hawthorn’s team doctor between 2005-21, the former chief executive officer of the AFL Doctors’ Association, and is a former concussion consultant for world rugby.
Leading lawyer Bernard Quinn KC is leading a review into Professor Paul McCrory’s concussion advice to the league.Credit:Jo Gay
The AFL was contacted for comment.
This conference, whose joint organisers include the International Olympic Committee, FIFA and the International Ice Hockey Association, could have important implications for the AFL, provided there are new findings in the prevention and treatment of brain trauma.
This was suggested in a directions hearing for the Shane Tuck case in the Victorian Coroners Court on Friday. Counsel assisting the coroner, Gideon Boas, said coroner Judge John Cain will use the findings from the conference in the Tuck inquest next year, in terms of what can be done to minimise head knocks and concussions that result in chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative head disease.
Boas said he understood “there has been some movement in science relating to concussions in sport and CTE since the conference last met”.
Tuck, the former Richmond footballer who took his own life in July 2020, aged 39, was found to have CTE. Cain, despite submissions from Tuck’s counsel, has insisted his brief is not to focus on the past, only to provide a clearer picture for future treatment.
The AFL’s 12-day minimum health-and-safety protocol for concussion remains a point of debate. Concussion advocate Peter Jess and respected neurophysiologist and concussion researcher Associate Professor Alan Pearce support a minimum break of 28 days.
The report is examining the advice and research the former doctor and world-renowned neurologist gave when advising the league.
The court heard on Friday that the report had identified possible “adverse findings” involving two people, delaying a possible inquest into the death of former Richmond footballer Shane Tuck.
A key concussion issue for the AFL to address in the off-season relates to Brownlow medallist Patrick Cripps, who was controversially cleared of a high bump on Brisbane’s Callum Ah Chee which left the Lion concussed.
The AFL is reviewing its appeals system after Cripps, given a two-match ban by the match review officer, a decision upheld at the tribunal, was free to play when his ban was overturned by the appeals board on procedural grounds, bewildering AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan.
Jess, a long-time concussion advocate, and his team have released their own club-based concussion figures for the AFL pre-season and season proper of 2022, and found there were 121 concussions across the home-and-away season and finals, including 10 players who had concussion twice, and one who was concussed three times. These concussions were across the AFL, VFL and other second-tier competitions involving AFL-listed players. This was up from 76 last season, the first year of Jess’ analysis.
“These figures clearly demonstrate that we have not had a focus on prevention and mitigation,” Jess said.
In the latest official AFL injury report released in May, relating to 2021, the “incidence of concussions causing matches to be missed increased to 3.68 injuries per club in the 2021 AFL season – up from 1.30 injuries per club in 2020″.
The AFL pointed out that forcing players to miss at least one match if they have a concussion has caused the number to spike.
In this year’s figures, Jess noted round five was the only AFL home-and-away round to not produce a diagnosed concussion, while there were no concussions diagnosed in the AFL semi-finals, preliminary finals or the grand final.
The Age does not suggest there were any concussions overlooked in the final three weeks of the finals. However, an AFL Players’ Association report released last month noted that 5.6 per cent of players are still not reporting concussion and 6.2 per cent have continued to play or train without medical attention after suffering concussion.
“Encouragingly, the vast majority of players believe their club prioritises their health and safety over performance when managing a head knock. This belief diminishes somewhat when comparing their club’s response to head knocks in the home-and-away season with the finals series,” the AFLPA report read.
Workplace watchdog WorkSafe Victoria is examining the concussion protocols of all Victorian clubs, but Jess, seeking information through Freedom of Information at VCAT, continues to be blocked. Jess has had the case reviewed by the Office of Public Prosecutions.
South Australian-based lawyer Greg Griffin and Jess are working towards a class action, on behalf of former AFL players, including John Platten, Shaun Smith, Rod Owen and John Barnes, who have suffered from serious head knocks. But this could be dropped if the AFL introduces a multi-million dollar compensation fund, a plan Peter Gordon, a prominent lawyer and former Western Bulldogs president, is examining.
McVeigh departs Giants after missing top job
Jon Pierik
Mark McVeigh has left Greater Western Sydney after missing out on the senior coaching role to Adam Kingsley.
McVeigh was caretaker coach from round 10 – with former Bombers teammates James Hird and Dean Solomon by his side – when Leon Cameron stepped aside, and interviewed for the top role on a permanent basis. However, McVeigh was beaten to the top role in August by former Tigers assistant Kingsley.
Mark McVeigh, having spent nine years with the Giants, has left the club.Credit:AFL Photos
Highly respected for his tactical nous and ability to build relationships with players through his nine years with the Giants, McVeigh is still seen as a future senior coach in the AFL – should he want to pursue that path.
Giants head of football Jason McCartney said McVeigh had contributed immensely in his time at the club.
“Mark has been a wonderful coach at our football club over a long period of time. He’s a person of great honesty and integrity, and while we would have loved him to stay, the time is right for him to move on,” McCartney said.
“We congratulate him on everything he has achieved so far in his coaching career and wish Mark and his family all the best for the future. He’ll always be part of building the Giants.”
Kingsley has moved quickly to bring in fresh faces, hiring 2004 Port Adelaide premiership teammate Brett Montgomery, who left the Power this season. He joins Ben Hart, the Adelaide great, and a former Collingwood assistant coach, on the new panel.
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