AFL overrules Adelaide Crows decision to name Tom Doedee after heavy collision against Essendon

The Crows didn’t sub Tom Doedee out of the Bombers game because of concussion - and the star defender wanted to play this week. But the AFL has stepped in.

Adelaide was overruled by the AFL on whether Tom Doedee could have played against West Coast, Crows assistant coach Scott Burns has revealed.

Doedee was substituted out of the Crows’ horror loss to Essendon last week following a heavy clash with Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti.

Doedee reported blurred vision following the hit, but the Crows did not sub him out of the game because of concussion.

Burns said the Crows had hoped Doedee would be named to take on the Eagles given he did not fail a concussion test.

But the Adelaide assistant said the Crows were overruled by the AFL.

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Tom Doedee at Crows training this week. Picture: Tom Huntley

“He wasn’t actually concussed,” Burns told SEN SA.

“We didn’t take him out of the game because of concussion, but I think the AFL docs now can overrule or have their say.

“They were confident enough that there were concussion symptoms and they wanted him to have this week off.”

Doedee said during the week that he had no concussion symptoms at all, and he was “frustrated and angry” at the thought of missing the Eagles match.

Burns said the main fear the Crows had for Doedee was the hit he took to his body, not any concerns over any potential concussion.

“I thought he hurt his sternum near his spine, I think that was the major reason that he was battling,” Burns said.

“They can (overrule) and I think they have before.

“This isn’t a one off, this has happened before with other players and other clubs as well.”

Smith’s milestone moment almost ruined on the golf course

- Matt Turner

Brodie Smith has copped a few hits ahead of his 200th game on Sunday.

An unexpected one on the golf course and then friendly jabs from former teammates.

The first could have caused him to miss his milestone match against West Coast at Adelaide Oval – and led to a nasty injury – if he was a little more unlucky.

Earlier in the week, the Crows defender was struck in the eye by another golfer’s ball while coming off the greens after putting on a par three.

“Looking down, as I took a step, the ball’s landed just at my right foot and come up and hit me in the eye,” Smith, 29, said.

“No fore call from behind, which is pretty poor.

“He got up to me and still had no idea if he hit me – I don’t know if he lost it in the sun or what – but I just moved onto the next hole.”

Brodie Smith will play his 200th game this week. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

Smith said his eye injury was fine because although he was unlucky to be struck, he was fortunate to be hit in a nice spot.

“I wasn’t in any pain – there was no seeing stars or anything like that,” he said.

“I saw the doc the next day, he checked the eye socket and there was absolutely nothing there, just a nice, little shiner for me for the week.

“I finished off the round, which I probably shouldn’t have because I played terribly.”

Thursday’s whacks were far different.

Smith received a video from former teammates Kyle Hartigan, Charlie Cameron, Riley Knight, Jarryd Lyons that mixed nice sentiments with jibes about the way he played.

“It was the uncontested, handball receive stuff that always pops up,” he said with a smile.

The video and the week had prompted Smith to reflect on an AFL career that began when the Crows selected him from Woodville-West Torrens at pick 14 in the 2010 national draft.

Adelaide Crow Brodie Smith, left, celebrates the 2015 second elimination final win over the Western Bulldogs with Taylor Walker, Matt Crouch and Patrick Dangerfield.

He regarded the club’s 2015 elimination final triumph over the Western Bulldogs at the MCG – two months after the death of coach Phil Walsh – and that year’s Showdown victory as career highlights.

“With everything we went through with Walshy … to be able to get ourselves into the finals then have that big win on the ‘G, I think that was a standout win,” said Smith, who missed the Crows’ 2017 preliminary and grand finals due to a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

The 2014 All-Australian said he was looking forward to Sunday’s match, which was also Eagles star Nic Naitanui’s 200th game.

“As the week’s gone on, I’ve started to realise how big it is and how much it means to me, getting tickets for family and friends that are going to be there, and some nice words from them,” he said.

“To be able to share the day with (Naitanui) makes it that extra bit special.”

Smith will become the fifth present-day Crow to reach 200 games, joining Taylor Walker, Rory Sloane, David Mackay and Daniel Talia.

“It has gone very quickly and hopefully I can add a few more to the tally and we can have some success in the next few years,” he said.

“I’d just love to have a win on Sunday and celebrate it with family and friends.”