Birdwood footballer Antonio Loiacono’s mother Wendy Smith to launch legal action against SANFL over handling of his concussions before death

Young Hills footballer Antonio Loiacono died after a sickening on-field collision – now his mother is set to launch legal action against the SANFL over its handling of previous concussions.

The mother of a young Adelaide Hills footballer who died after an on-field collision will take legal action against the state’s peak football body over its handling of concussions in the lead up to her son’s death.

Birdwood footballer Antonio Loiacono, 20, died after a collision during a Hills Football League match against Gumeracha in April, sparking concerns from his family that previous concussions contributed to his death.

His mother Wendy Smith has now engaged top Adelaide lawyer Greg Griffin to pursue legal action against the SANFL, claiming the league breached its concussion policy by allowing her son to play without being medically cleared.

“I feel like there’s been no value put on my son’s life,” Ms Smith told the Sunday Mail.

“He’s a human being, he was a talented football player and they just disregarded his life.

Antonio Loiacono's mother Wendy Smith will pursue legal action against the SANFL over the league’s handling of concussion in the lead up to her son’s death. Picture: Ben Clark

“It’s like it’s been swept under the carpet. It’s disgusting.”

Mr Griffin, who is leading a concussion class action lawsuit against the AFL, will this week write to the SANFL asking them to disclose their records of all reported concussions over the past five years to show that the league received medical certificates clearing each player to return to play.

At the time of Mr Loiacono’s death, the SANFL’s concussion policy stated any player who was suspected of suffering a head injury or concussion during play should undergo an assessment within 10 minutes of the injury.

At the time of Mr Loiacono’s death, the SANFL’s concussion policy “will not be permitted to play until the league receives a medical certificate clearing him to play”. Picture: Supplied

The policy stated if the player failed the assessment they “should not be returned to the field of play” and “have their names notified to the central umpires, who will record the player’s name in the match report, which is then submitted to the League”.

It stated a player who failed the assessment “will not be permitted to play until the league receives a medical certificate clearing him to play”.

“They have all these rules and regulations and they didn’t honour them,” Ms Smith said.

Ms Smith said no assessment was done when her son was concussed while playing for Waikerie in the Riverland Football League last season or during a trial game for Birdwood ahead of the 2023 Hills Football League season.

Birdwood footballer Antonio Loiacono in action on the footy field. Picture: Supplied

“He should not have even been allowed to step on the field unless there had been a medical certificate clearing him to play,” Mr Griffin said.

An updated version of the league’s rules and regulations, published just weeks after Mr Loiacono’s death, did not include the concussion policy.

In the most recent version of the rules and regulations, published on Friday, the concussion policy had been replaced by the AFL’s national concussion management guidelines.

Mr Griffin said the SANFL’s adoption of the AFL policy was a “device to avoid its obligations to have followed its own rules”.

Ms Smith’s lawyer Greg Griffin said if the SANFL had not acted in line with its concussion policy, the league would have “breached their duty to every player who plays in the country football leagues and they’re liable for any damages that caused”. Picture: Ben Clark

“If the SANFL has chosen to do nothing about enforcing that rule and that concussion policy then ultimately it faces the consequences of doing nothing,” he said.

“It’s a backdoor attempt to try and relieve themselves of all the obligations that were imposed upon them.”

An SANFL spokeswoman said the league was working with the AFL to “ensure concussion is managed in the best possible way”.

“The health and safety of players at all levels of the game is a key priority and both the AFL and SANFL take concussion and the protection of the brain health of all those playing our game extremely seriously,” she said.

Ms Smith, who witnessed the fatal collision in April, said the game was “thuggery”.

Footage of the match, seen by the Sunday Mail, shows several high hits on Mr Loiacono, including in the first quarter the fatal collision in the third quarter.

“The game was thuggery and it clearly shows illegal play,” Ms Smith said.

Mr Griffin said at least two of the incidents, including the fatal collision, should have been reported to the Hills Football League tribunal.

Birdwood footballer Antonio Loiacono, pictured playing for Waikerie, suffered two concussions in the lead up to his death in April. Picture: Supplied

“Each of those two incidents were absolutely reportable and had they happened in an AFL game, the players would have been suspended for a minimum of three games each,” he said.

Mr Griffin said if the SANFL had not acted in line with its concussion policy, the league would have “breached their duty to every player who plays in the country football leagues and they’re liable for any damages that caused”.

“God knows how many other players have been damaged because of their failure to follow their own rules,” he said.

Gumeracha Football Club president Tony Hannaford said he couldn’t recall any “aggression” in the game.

“I can’t remember anything out of the ordinary at all,” he said.

Waikerie Football Club was contacted for comment.