AFL news 2023: Round 20 Talking Points, analysis, reaction, results, wrap, highlights, Aliir Aliir concussion, HIA, Port Adelaide penalty, Toby Greene Brownlow

Port Adelaide could be penalised for its handling of the Aliir Aliir head knock, with the AFL world still stunned.

Plus the big problem with the Toby Greene Brownlow push, Essendon’s “under 18 footy” problem and much more.

The big issues from Round 20 of the 2023 AFL season analysed in Talking Points!

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HEAD KNOCK FURORE REACHES FEVER PITCH

The AFL is continuing to review Port Adelaide’s decision to not put Aliir Aliir through a SCAT5 (concussion) test after a nasty collision with Lachie Jones, which drew the footy world’s attention.

Jones and Aliir both came from the field and received Head Injury Assessments, which is in effect a consultation, but only Jones was sent for a SCAT5, which entails a mandatory 15 minutes off the field.

The Power said Jones passed the test but was subbed out with a migraine, while Aliir did not undergo the test and returned to the field under six minutes later.

Coach Ken Hinkley defended club doctor Mark Fisher’s decision, as he has done in the past, pointing to Fisher’s extensive tenure at the club and medical experience.

It did not quell input from onlookers, however, with some of those including former players.

“Footage from last nights head clash makes me feel sick,” former Port Adelaide forward Jay Schulz tweeted.

“As someone who knows what can happen it’s disappointing. You could see they were both out before hitting the ground.

“It’s no one’s fault, we play a contact sport but it’s time the decision is taken away from player and club.”

Former Power player Sam Skinner added: “How the f*** is Aliir allowed back on after that head knock?

“Allowed back on after this? Duty of care?!

“And they’ll call it “Delayed concussion” during the week to cover their arses.”

The AFL’s statement on Sunday afternoon was effectively a state of play update rather than a definitive ruling on the Power’s conduct.

Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph told Fox Footy the league was still weighing up a potential penalty for the Power.

The issue itself – as it sits – has proved ample ammunition for those looking to take aim at the league’s concussion practices.

Michel Margalit, whose firm is leading the concussion class action lodged against the AFL, was one of the many to critique the situation as it currently stands.

“I‘m shocked that the Port Adelaide Football Club allowed Aliir Aliir to return to the playing field after being knocked out. It shows how far the game still has to go to acknowledge the dangers of concussion to its players,” he said.

“The serious long-term impact of concussion is universally recognised, and in particular the cumulative effect of returning to play too soon. When a player suffers such a clear heavy knock, return to play should not be permitted. The debilitating long-term risks of concussion is just too great.

“A player who is injured mid-game is not in a position to consent to return to play. Adrenaline is pulsing through their veins and they have the heavy expectations of their team and their fans resting on their shoulders. That’s not to mention the cognitive impairment of concussion that intercepts good decision making.

“It is now incumbent on the AFL to show in their response that their strong stance of protecting players from concussion is more than just words.”

While it’s understandable there is a reticence to question club doctors, the horrific optics of the incident feel like a tipping point where something must change.

CLEAR PROBLEM WITH TOBY FOR BROWNLOW ARGUMENT

Anyone getting a bit of deja vu?

The yearly complaint about the Brownlow has returned, this time sparked by Toby Greene’s spectacular performance in GWS’ comeback win over the Bulldogs on Saturday.

Proclaimed the best player in the game by Herald Sun columnist Scott Gullan, Port Adelaide champion Kane Cornes asked why Greene isn’t a serious contender for the game’s top individual honour.

“Umpires don’t vote for anyone other than midfielders,” he argued on Nine’s Sunday Footy Show.

On its surface, this argument makes some sense. The award for the best player in the game should go to the best player, regardless of position.

But the Brownlow isn’t necessarily for the best player in the game, because the word “best” can be very vague.

The most damaging, with the ability to take over a game? Absolutely Greene is in the conversation for No.1. He’s had 11 games with three or more goals this year, often having over 20 disposals as well, leading the Giants into a shock finals push.

But that’s not what the Brownlow, and most individual awards, actually reward – that’s consistency.

Superstar midfielders always win the Brownlow, and almost every individual award, because they have the biggest and most obvious influence on every game. They get the most disposals, so we see them the most, and they’re consistently there.

Greene, in contrast, might kick a bag of goals but either be outshone by a teammate or an opponent who just has more of the footy. Just last year, Greene had three games where he kicked four goals, and didn’t poll a Brownlow vote in any of them.

Greene can have a quiet day and it’s just the price of doing business as a mid-forward. For comparison’s sake, Nick Daicos – the actual Brownlow favourite – gets stories written about him when he doesn’t dominate a game, asking ‘have teams finally found out how to shut him down?!?!’.

And so we go back to Cornes’ comments – blaming the umpires for not voting for Greene.

When you think about it for just a second, it’s a silly argument, right? Because it’s not like the Brownlow isn’t reflected in every other major award.

Nick Daicos is leading the coaches’ votes, from Christian Petracca, Zak Butters and Marcus Bontempelli. (Greene is a relatively distant ninth.)

Christian Petracca is leading the Herald Sun player of the year votes, from Nick Daicos, Tim Taranto and Marcus Bontempelli. (Greene is a distant eighth.)

There are three possibilities here.

1. Every award voter is wrong and every award is pointless. Bit nihilistic, this.

2. Every award voter is right, and midfielders just are the most important and best players because they have the biggest influence on the game every week. This makes sense though it does feel a bit simplistic.

3. The very nature of major AFL awards is constructed to reward midfielders over all others.

If you believe in No.3, you’d probably want the AFL to switch to an American sports-type model, where the major award (the league MVP) gets voted on either near the end of or after the season. This means people aren’t swept up in game-by-game results, and think big picture.

Of course, these MVP awards generally still go to the players who are considered the most influential every week by advanced stats – a superstar NFL quarterback, or a talismanic NBA big man. And AFL advanced stats generally declare midfielders are the best and most influential players, too.

So perhaps we just need to accept that football has changed, and you just can’t influence the game as much from outside of the midfield, and give up on the dream of a forward, ruck or defender ever winning a Brownlow.

BOMBERS HAVE AN ‘UNDER 18 FOOTY’ PROBLEM WITH A 26YO STAR

He’s the 203cm star and reigning club champion who’s kicked more goals than any other Essendon player in the past three season and almost help his Bombers pinch an unlikely comeback win on Saturday night.

But Essendon has a problem with Peter Wright, according to two Fox Footy pundits.

Wright on Saturday night played a crucial role in Essendon’s unlikely late surge against Sydney, kicking 4.1 from eight disposals and six marks, only for the Bombers to fall short by two points.

Brad Scott’s side dominated so many facets of the game, winning the contested possession (+23), clearance (+13) and inside 50 (+22) counts convincingly. In fact the Bombers’ tally of 69 inside 50s was their biggest of their strong 2023 campaign so far.

Yet they took just 12 marks inside 50 for the game – which is their season average – and lost the game.

And Brereton believes it was off the back of Wright’s inability to make the most of the Bombers’ entries.

“We’re hearing about teams that are saying ‘we need a second forward’ – they (the Bombers) are screaming out for somebody,” Brereton told Fox Footy post-game.

“Whether Peter Wright is your ruckman who you rest forward and he’s capable of pinching your two or three. I know he’s won a best and fairest there, but could you imagine if Harry Jones jumps up and assumes the mantle of key forward? And then Kyle Langford could be the second key forward and Wright comes down as your third string as a resting ruckman who’s dangerous. That’s a potent forward line.

“Peter Wright is a very good player, but you can’t trust him week-in, week-out. He’s a ruckman who plays as a forward – and does a damn good job of it – but he’s very mechanical as a forward if he doesn’t go ‘clunk’, he’s not really in the game.

“We saw him lead out and he grassed a couple of marks as well. If they’re not sticking in there, it’s not a reliable source to goal.

“People might think we’re a little bit hard on him, but he had a chance to nail that game.”

Triple premiership key forward Cameron Mooney said Wright should’ve kicked six or seven goals considering the volume of inside 50s.

Mooney said the Bombers persisted with Wright as a forward, he needed to work on his leading technique.

“He needs to go back and learn how to get rid of his opponent before he starts to lead, because too many times he leads with his opponent on his backside, which is Under 18 footy,” Mooney told Fox Footy. “When you’re big and strong, you can get away with it at that age group. But at AFL level, you can’t.

“There was a lot of that (on Saturday night). He came really good in the last quarter and was fantastic, but early when there was plenty of chances for him to take a lot of marks, he had his opponent right on him because he doesn’t do his work early.”

EPIC UPSET — AND INCOMING TRIO OF DRAFT STARS — PROVES VACANT GIG IS ‘A GREAT JOB TO GET’

If Damien Hardwick wants to coach the Gold Coast Suns, the triple premiership legend on Saturday got a glimpse of the team’s enormous potential.

And if it isn’t Hardwick, ultimately, who gets the gig, whoever the new coach is will be walking into a club with a talent-laden list that’s about to add three of the best young players in the draft pool.

Gold Coast on Saturday ended a nine-game Q-Clash losing streak, defeating the Brisbane Lions by 41 points in a breathtaking display.

The Suns, under interim coach Steven King, dominated at stoppage and beat up on the Lions’ on-ball brigade, winning the contested possession count by +12.

And once the ball was on the outside, the Suns showed off their sublime skill with enthralling ball movement and laser-like kicking. The Suns had five less inside 50s than Brisbane, but their slick entries gave their forwards – most notably Ben King, who roared back into form with five goals – better looks, which they made the most of.

Noah Anderson (1.1 from, 29 disposals) used the ball superbly, Sam Flanders continued his hot form, Matt Rowell was relentless at the coalface, Mac Andrew and Wil Powell stopped so many Lions attacking forays and Rory Atkins and Brandon Ellis were pinpoint with their delivery.

And then there were the co-captains. Jarrod Witts was dominant in the ruck as 18 of his 43 hit-outs went to a teammate’s advantage, while Touk Miller played the near perfect skipper’s game, restricting Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale to just 17 disposals while having 29 touches and six clearances himself.

“It screams to me that this is a great job to get in 2024 when you’ve got this sort of talent in the forward half of the field,” dual premiership Kangaroo David King told Fox Footy during the fourth quarter.

“So good to watch, the Suns … Gee we’ve missed this sort of football, playing with freedom.

“We just hope we see more of this sort of football. They’ve been an inconsistent model over the journey, they’ve always got the talent, but they’re playing with a bit of freedom now and you can feel the excitement.”

And the Suns’ list is about to get better.

The Suns have already traded heavily into this year’s draft due to the calibre of their academy talent, who could all attract top-10 bids.

Their crop is headlined by Jed Walter — a powerful 195cm key forward who chases and tackles opponents like his life depends on it and seems primed for Round 1 next year. He’s widely regarded as the second-best prospect in this year’s draft class behind Harley Reid – and the thought of pairing him with King in the Suns’ forward line is a tantalising prospect.

But Walter could also be joined in the top five by athletic 200cm ruck Ethan Read, who’s flown up draft boards after a standout national championships campaign for the Allies. One recruiter told foxfooty.com.au Read was “a bit of a freak” on the field due to his insane skills, clean hands and elite aerobic capacity for a player of his size.

And dynamic 172cm midfielder Jake Rogers is also in the top-10 mix following an outstanding 2023 campaign.

Walter, Read and Rogers have come through the Queensland junior footy pathway, which is gathering significant momentum according to triple premiership Lion Jonathan Brown.

“If he (Hardwick) saw the junior pathways on a regular basis, he’d realise it’d be a good job to have,” Brown told Fox Footy.

“This team has got the platform to be able to catapult into the top eight next season, no question about that. They’ve got the bones.

“Today they’re averaging over 100 games, so they’re starting to get up to that demographic to play finals.”

Fellow Fox Footy commentator Dwayne Russell was quick to point out that Stuart Dew, despite losing his job weeks ago, would be “loving” seeing his players perform well, adding: “He ended up losing the job, but he did his best and help set a foundation for what could be taken to the next level.”

That foundation, on Saturday night, was frightening.

TORQUAY TRIP TURNS BLUES’ SEASON AROUND

A trip to Torquay does wonders for the mind.

With the Blues at their lowest ebb having lost five consecutive matches, the playing group made the trip to Ed Curnow’s property and had some honest conversations with each other, along with a considerable number of pizza slices.

Their next match was a loss to Essendon and a sixth straight loss, but the seeds planted during that coastal trip blossomed the following week, with their 59-point win over Gold Coast the first of six consecutive victories.

The most recent of those – a win over Collingwood – has the club now well-placed to qualify for finals, a year after the Pies knocked them out in devastating fashion.

So much pressure centred on Ikon Park for the middle part of this season, but the fog has now lifted and that trip to Torquay could hold many hints as to the improvement since.

“It was a good night down at Ed’s place by the dam, had a big bonfire, a few conversations,” Charlie Curnow told Fox Footy after Friday night’s win over Collingwood.

“There wasn’t a lot of footy chat; We knew what we wanted to get out of the season and once we got that on the line there was a lot of good time spent with each other, talking a bit of rubbish around the fire.

“That kind of lightened everyone up and we obviously had a few good games after that. We always knew we could do it and we just went back to contest and pressure and that’s where our game evolved.”

That trip to Torquay coincided with some brutally honest conversations between players and coaches.

One of the figures central to the club’s resurgence has been Jacob Weitering, who has elevated his game back to the level fitting of his number one draft pick status in 2015.

Weitering himself painted a picture of those discussions after the win over the Pies.

“For me personally, I wasn‘t leading and playing to the best of my ability. I was probably more worried about my opponent and it’s pretty easy to get into that mindset as a defender when things aren’t going well. There’s just a few things,” he told SEN’s Crunch Time.

“There was a quote from Aaron Hamill, my back coach, ‘It’s not your man, it’s our man’. It’s simply about supporting each other.

“Vossy certainly led the way with some of those conversations. Some of them were tough, I didn‘t like some of them, but they were true. You’ve got to praise his leadership and the way he’s gone about it.”

Voss himself has chartered quite the path in 2023, with his job well and truly under the microscope externally.

He was assured during the club’s losing streak that he had the full support of the board, but such platitudes have been expressed before in the AFL world, most recently with Stuart Dew, almost acting as a kiss of death for its recipient.

The script has flipped in stunning fashion, with Voss now overseeing the most in-form side in the competition along with Greater Western Sydney.

It has them favoured to make the finals, which at the start of the season was the natural progression most thought likely for the side.

“Just think of the rollercoaster Blues fans have been on,” Nathan Buckley said on Fox Footy after Friday’s win.

“Coming in thinking ‘This is our year to make finals, three and a half wins out of the first four’, then they lose eight of their next nine.

“Then there was all the talk about Vossy and whether he was going to stay as coach and who was going to be sacked, who was going to be thrown out.

“They stuck fat, they’ve come back, they’ve beaten lowly opponents and now they’ve gone and beaten the top of the table team. Six in a row, winning by an average margin of around eight goals. Their form is as good as anyone in the comp.”