AFL news 2023: Port Adelaide’s Aliir Aliir HIA, return to play in Showdown v Crows

Questions are being asked of Port Adelaide’s medical staff after defender Aliir Aliir was controversially allowed to play on despite a sickening head clash.

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – JULY 29: Aliir Aliir of the Power down after a collision with Lachie Jones of the Power during the 2023 AFL Round 20 match between the Adelaide Crows and the Port Adelaide Power at Adelaide Oval on July 29, 2023 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley leapt to the defence of his club’s medical staff after Power defender Aliir Aliir was controversially allowed to play out Saturday night’s Showdown despite a sickening head knock with teammate Lachie Jones.

Jones was taken down the race for a Head Impact Assessment (HIA) by the team doctor following the second-quarter incident and was subbed out of the game at half-time with a migraine.

However, Aliir remained on the bench, without undergoing a HIA, and returned to the field approximately seven minutes after the heavy clash that knocked both players to the turf where they were assessed by medical staff.

“The doctor made those decisions based around both players and he was really clear and really certain to me and Aliir was too,” Hinkley said after the shock 47-point loss to Adelaide.

“I sat and spoke with Aliir and he was clear as you could be.

“The doctor was very, very comfortable that the situation was well and truly okay and that he was able to go back on.

Aliir Aliir goes down after a heavy collision with teammate Lachie Jones. Picture: Getty

“He went back out and played the whole game, so I don’t think there’s too many problems with Aliir other than he got beaten badly (by Taylor Walker).

“The doctor, Mark Fisher, is an incredibly experienced doctor and he makes the right decisions that he needs to make.

“As soon as he came off, I was absolutely surprised myself a little bit at how clear he looked and how bright he looked.

“He was the same Aliir that I was talking to before the game.”

Sam Skinner, who played two games for Port Adelaide last year before being delisted, took to Twitter to voice his dismay.

“Allowed back on after this? Duty of care?” Skinner tweeted.

“And they’ll call it ‘delayed concussion’ during the week to cover their a***s.”

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

— Sam Skinner (@samskinner21) July 29, 2023

Despite Jones being subbed out of the game following the head knock, the club’s reason for subbing him could technically allow him to play against Geelong next week.

“Lachie didn’t fail the concussion test … he was subbed out with a migraine,” Hinkley said.

“He’d done the concussion test and passed it.

“I don’t know whether he’ll play against the Cats because he came off the ground with an issue.

“One thing you can be really certain around is this footy club won’t take any risks with people’s health.

“That’s just not something we’re going to do.

Aliir is taken from the field. Picture: Getty

He returned to finish the game. Picture: Getty

“I don’t care who we play and when we play, we will do the right thing by the player first and foremost and our doctor is incredibly experienced, and he’ll make sure that’s the case.

“We won’t be forcing anyone out there for anything other than the right reason and that is that they’re medically cleared to play.

“I can’t be any stronger than that.”

Former West Coast premiership star Will Schofield also took to social media to voice his concerns over the Power’s handling of the incident.

“Be good when we start taking this seriously,” Schofield tweeted.

“Independent concussion doctor at every game would be a nice start.”

The loss was Port’s third in a row on the back of its barnstorming 13-game winning streak.

Despite the setback, the Power remained in second spot on the ladder following Brisbane’s shock loss to Gold Coast.

“Fortunately, the ladder looks the same,” Hinkley said.

“We’ve had a patch where we haven’t been near where we were for 13 weeks, but seven days ago we played a really strong game (in a loss to Collingwood).

“But we just didn’t handle it tonight, we didn’t play well enough to give ourselves a chance.

“All phases of the game we were disappointed with.

“The fact is that Adelaide were way better than us and they deserved the victory, as much as I dislike that taste.”