AFL 2022: Brisbane Lions to appeal Mitch Robinson’s ban over headhigh contact to Port’s Xavier Duursma
Brisbane will challenge the AFL’s hard-line stance on headhigh contact when it fights Mitch Robinson’s ban. Here’s what the Lions will ask the AFL.
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One round down and the AFL’s hard-line stance on headhigh contact is under siege with Brisbane midfielder Mitch Robinson taking his case to the tribunal.
Robinson is appealing a one-match ban he received for a collision with Port Adelaide’s Xavier Duursma which left the young gun with a damaged collarbone.
The Lions will be asking the tribunal what alternative Robinson had when he braced for impact in the incident.
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West Coast is also scratching its head after small forward Willie Rioli copped a week for a hit on Gold Coast’s Matt Rowell which didn’t even earn a free kick against him on Sunday.
Adelaide captain Rory Sloane will also miss next week after being offered a one-week ban for “contact to the eye region” of Fremantle’s Blake Acres.
The Robinson case will be watched closely by all clubs after Match Review officer Michael Christian deemed the Lions veteran continued in his momentum when he collided with Duursma.
He classified the incident as careless conduct, medium impact and high contact.
Brisbane Lions chief executive Greg Swann said he was confused about what Robinson was supposed to do.
“He (Robinson) stood there and braced himself – I’m not sure what else he could have done,” Swann said.
Rioli spectacularly crashed into Rowell, leaping high into air to collect the Gold Coast Suns rising star, knocking him flat on his back.
While it wasn’t assessed as an infringement at the time by the field umpire, the MRP charged the Eagles forward with rough conduct describing the incident as careless conduct, medium impact and high contact.
Melbourne great Garry Lyon was shocked given the league’s crackdown with high contact that Rioli was only copped one week.
“It’s got to be more than that,” Lyon said on Fox Footy’s On The Couch.
Sloane’s incident was missed by many in the wash-up of Sunday’s loss but his actions when tackling Acres in the first quarter was deemed as intentional contact to the eye but low impact meaning the Crows star will only miss one game.
In other MRP incidents Fremantle’s Caleb Serong was offered a $2000 fine for striking Adelaide’s Jordon Butts while Gold Coast’s Will Powell copped a $1000 fine for tripping West Coast’s Jack Petruccelle.
Port gun dodges surgery, Lions appeal Robinson ban
Brisbane will appeal the one-match ban offered to midfielder Mitch Robinson for his collision with Port Adelaide’s Xavier Duursma.
The Lions will be asking the tribunal what alternative Robinson had when he braced for impact in the incident with the Port youngster.
The Match Review Officer Michael Christian deemed the Lions veteran continued in his momentum when he collided with Duursma.
Duursma was still in significant pain on Sunday morning and may have suffered damage to his collarbone.
In a major boost for the Power, Duursma might be able to play this weekend with scans unable to find any crack or fracture in his collarbone.
But Aliir Aliir has had to have surgery on his syndesmosis injury in his high ankle after the Power’s fears were confirmed.
Duursma is still in contention to face Hawthorn on Saturday at Adelaide Oval, and Trent McKenzie is also in consideration to play after he hyperextended his knee against the Lions.
Connor Rozee (ankle) and Robbie Gray (knee) are both still in the selection mix.
With Aliir joining Tom Clurey on the sidelines, former Lion Sam Skinner is poised to make his debut for the Power.
How Port’s failed statement turned sour
A missed opportunity featuring a late collapse when the pressure mounted in a crunch game.
Or a gritty performance on the road as injuries stacked up against a premiership contender.
Both of these descriptions could be applied to Port Adelaide’s 11-point loss to Brisbane at the Gabba on Saturday night.
Playing its first match since last year’s preliminary final disaster, the Power looked on its way to a season-opening victory, and its first road win over the Lions in five years, when it led by four goals late in the third term.
But it was outscored five goals to one in the last quarter, failing to capitalise on several attacking forays and making costly mistakes at both ends of the ground.
The visitors did a lot right.
They matched Brisbane, which had won 19 of its previous 22 Gabba games, in key statistics, such as inside 50s (+3), clearances (-2) and contested possessions (-2), while showing their desperation by having 23 more one-percenters.
It would have been a memorable triumph, instead it was a costly loss.
Two Power players did not finish the game (Trent McKenzie and Xavier Duursma) and three others needed medical assistance to ensure they could (Connor Rozee, Aliir Aliir and Robbie Gray).
How much did those ailments influence Saturday night’s momentum swing?
According to Power coach Ken Hinkley, fatigue was probably as telling as any factor, although he did not want to take anything away from Brisbane for finishing the bruising game stronger.
“Without blaming injuries, 100 per cent, that’s the reality of brutal footy,” Hinkley said.
“We lost plenty through the night and we had plenty of boys out there with some (medical) support and assistance as the game went on.
“I think maybe we were just out on our legs a little bit.
“I’m not saying that as an absolute 100 per cent (reason for the defeat) because Brisbane lifted and they took it to another level, and we couldn’t keep coming.”
The Power was down a bench rotation after key defender McKenzie joined wingman Duursma on the sidelines midway through the last quarter.
McKenzie’s left knee was the Power’s biggest injury concern on the night, but Hinkley said early signs suggested the 29-year-old might not have suffered the anterior cruciate ligament rupture initially feared after he had left the field on a motorised stretcher.
Duursma, who was substituted off at quarter time, looked to have avoided a break in his left collarbone.
Rozee and Aliir played on after spending time on the bench with ankle injuries, while Gray continued despite a right knee issue that sidelined him for most of the first term.
That trio had minimal influence for the Power once they came back on the ground.
Aliir was involved in a pivotal moment when scores were tied with eight minutes remaining.
The 2021 All-Australian defender spilt a sitter of a mark 45m from Brisbane’s goal, despite being 20m clear of the nearest player, then fell over backwards, allowing the Lions to take possession of the ball and conjure a goal out of nothing.
Lincoln McCarthy’s major made it three to none for the term, turning the contest firmly in the home side’s favour.
A minute earlier, Port Adelaide had a big chance to create its own six-point buffer before and after Marcus Adams fumbled a mark as simple as the one Aliir dropped.
Willem Drew carried the ball to the Power’s attacking 50 then instead of going for goal or passing to open teammates Sam Powell-Pepper or Mitch Georgiades, he kicked to Adams’s advantage and it slipped through the Lions backman’s hands.
Brisbane prevented a goal by creating two stoppages.
Eventually Jarrod Berry launched the ball up the other end up the ground, leading to Aliir’s error.
In a tight, tough game, the outcomes of the two similar incidents summed up the difference between the sides – under pressure, Brisbane was better at taking its chances and executing the game’s fundamentals.
“That big play that went our way when we didn’t quite turn it into something goes the other way, it’s a 12-point swing because we probably should’ve turned it into something,” Hinkley said.
Houston said of Aliir’s mistake: “That happens in high-pressure games of footy … and we’re not going to blame that one contest for losing the game”.
It was not just Aliir’s dropped mark or Drew’s poor kick that hurt the Power in the last term.
The Lions’ next major came from ruckman Oscar McInerney being left alone in the goalsquare.
Port Adelaide also took too long to clear from defence at times, like when Lachie Jones was smothered then caught holding the ball, and it struggled to slow Brisbane down as it rebounded from its backline into attack.
Houston said although the Power had several areas of its game to improve, he was proud of the team for fighting until the final siren.
“I’m sure we’ll look back later in the season and think it was a missed opportunity,” he said.
“But we went through a lot during the game.
“The doctors’ hands were busy and we just kept at it, stuck together.
“Brisbane are a high-contest team and if you’re going to match it with them, you’ve got to wear those injuries.
“We’re really happy with how we went, not happy with the result.”
Houston was one of the Power’s best players, registering a career and game-high 36 disposals while also kicking two goals.
The former halfback turned wingman’s second major – a goal on the run from 55m – cut the margin to six points with six minutes left.
With two-and-a-half minutes remaining, he could have cut it back to five but hit the post on from the 50m arc.
“It was hard to tell how long was left on the clock because of all the injuries,” he said.
“We stuck at it but unfortunately it didn’t go our way in the end.”
On Friday, Hinkley said it was dangerous to read too much into Round 1, even though all clubs expected to start the season well.
He was glass half-full after Saturday night’s “heavyweight bout”.
“We’ve been up here and not been in the game at quarter-time, let alone with six minutes to go,” he said.
“I’m sure Brisbane would be sitting there going well, they’ve earned that one.
“I called it to the boys, it’s a heavyweight bout.
“It’s Round 1, it sounds silly but that’s the way it was built for us.
“No one gave us a chance because of their history up here … so they’re a bloody hard team to beat.
“We played a game of football that would typically give you a pretty good outcome and, unfortunately, tonight we didn’t get the outcome.”
Another narrow loss in this Saturday night’s home match against Hawthorn – a game the Power will enter as huge favourites – would not be met with the same level of optimism.
‘Brutal’ opener leaves Port facing potential injury crisis
Port Adelaide senior coach Ken Hinkley is cautiously optimistic that the injury toll from the
11-point loss to Brisbane on Saturday night will not be as horrific as first feared.
Port’s medical staff were the busiest people at the Gabba with the interchange bench
resembling an episode of “MASH”.
Defender Trent McKenzie was taken from the field in a medi-cab in the fourth term after
landing very awkwardly.
The way he crumbled after hitting the ground was reminiscent of how many players do their
ACL, but Hinkley said initial assessments were promising.
“We don’t know but we think he may have escaped the worst … we’ll wait and see,’’ Hinkley
said.
“(The club doctor) was reasonably confident as an ACL goes, it’s not that. Again, I don’t want to go off too early and get it wrong.’’
Xavier Duursma played no further part in the game after a heavy collision with Brisbane
enforcer Mitch Robinson in the first term. Hinkley said Port feared Duursma’s collarbone
was broken but medical staff said it was “structurally OK, not broken.’’
Defender Aliir Aliir (ankle), forward Robbie Gray (knee) and Conner Rozee (ankle) all spent
large chunks of time getting treated before returning to the field, which threw out Port’s
rotations and created match-swinging fatigue as Brisbane turned a 24-point deficit in the
third term into their 29th win from their last 31 home and away matches at the Gabba.
Hinkley said it was a “tough and brutal game of footy” and was proud of the way Port took
the fight up to Brisbane.
“We did a lot of things right that would typically give you a good outcome, but we didn’t get
the outcome,’’ he said.
“If we can play that way every week, we’ll win a lot more football games than we’ll lose.
“We lost plenty (of players to injury) through the night, that’s what happens when you play
high quality football against tough teams. You have to pay a price and I thought our blokes
were prepared to pay the price.
“We were maybe a bit out on our legs but Brisbane took it to another level and we couldn’t
keep coming.
“I was buoyant about the way we went about it.’’
Meanwhile, Brisbane has injury concerns of their own with captain Dayne Zorko subbed out
of the game with a calf issue, just weeks after a minor procedure on his Achilles. Jarrod
Berry also left the field late with a shoulder issue.
“He (Zorko) felt something pop in the back of his calf area. His Achilles is fine … we won’t
really know until early in the week,’’ Fagan said adding a theory that scar tissue movement
may be to blame for Zorko’s early departure.
Fagan was proud that his side found a way to win after Port controlled the contest for much
of the night.
“We were pretty close to four goals down at one time, I don’t know whether in my time at
the club we’ve been in that situation and come back against the good sides,’’ he said.
“That was one of our focus areas this pre-season, how could we handle a little adversity, so
it was good tonight. It feels like we’ve maybe matured a little bit as a group over the
summer.”
Fagan said he will speak to key forward Joe Daniher about his decision to handball late in
the second term when the siren sounded as opposed to going back and kicking the easy
goal. But he was very happy with Daniher’s four-goal output.
“I’m so glad we won that game and we didn’t lose by a small margin because we never
would have heard the end of it … he made up for it,’’ Fagan said.
Joe has last laugh as Lions outgun injury-riddled Port
A Joe Daniher-inspired Brisbane fought back from a 24-point deficit in the third quarter to finish over the top of a brave Port Adelaide with a hard-earned 11-point victory at the Gabba on Saturday night.
Daniher kicked four goals — including two to start the fourth term — to spearhead Brisbane’s comeback and he could have had as many as six goals with some better luck and better management on his behalf.
The sides were locked together at 61-all for an extended period in the tense fourth quarter before goals to Linc McCarthy, Oscar McInerney and Charlie Cameron broke the game open for Brisbane who have now won 29 of their last 31 home-and-away season matches at the Gabba.
Port’s interchange bench was like a casualty ward with Trent McKenzie (knee) and Xavier Duursma (collarbone) suffering game-ending injuries while Aliir Aliir (ankle), Robbie Gray (knee) and Conner Rozee (ankle) all spending significant time off the field.
McKenzie’s knee problem looked the most severe as he landed awkwardly and appeared to be considerable pain following a marking contest.
He was taken from the field in a medi-cab.
Daniher’s third goal of the match cut Port’s lead to seven points, his fourth major slashed the margin to just one point and the Gabba was pumping with Brisbane’s irresistible momentum and Port’s rapidly dwindling troops leading to an inevitable outcome.
Port enjoyed a 15-point cushion at the last change after leading by as much as four goals in the third quarter. The Power booted the first three goals of the term before Zac Bailey stopped the rot for Brisbane.
The Lions could have been closer but Hugh McCluggage missed a sitter and Daniher went for a long bomb with teammates unmarked inside 50.
Thanks to their superiority in contested possessions, Port kicked four goals to Brisbane’s two in the second term to edge to a four-point lead at halftime but the Lions should have been in front after Daniher opted to handpass instead of going back and kicking a goal right on the siren.
Back-up ruckman Darcy Fort made the most of his only opportunity to make a good first impression with two goals in the first term to hand the Lions a seven-point buffer at quarter time with Travis Boak providing the only major for the visitors in a scrappy opening term.
Port’s medical staff were very busy.
Before Trent McKenzie was stretchered off with what appeared to a serious knee injury in the last term, defender Aliir Aliir left the ground in the second quarter with an ankle injury after a marking contest with Mitch Robinson and only returned in the third term.
Midfielder Robbie Gray spent most of the first term off the ground with a right knee issue.
He re-emerged from the rooms with the knee heavily strapped and was noticeably limping when he re-entered play.
Connor Rozee rolled his ankle in the third term while the Power also lost Xavier Duursma (collarbone) at quarter time who was replaced by sub Steven Motlop.
Mitch Robinson’s bump on Xavier Duursma in the first term is likely to go under the MRO microscope.
Robinson and Duursma had a heavy collision on Brisbane’s half-forward flank with Duursma leaving the ground soon after with a collarbone issue.
Both players went in low for the ball with Robinson — who had been in health and safety protocols for a week — appearing to brace for contact by turning sideways as Duursma took possession.
Oh no Joe! Joe Daniher took a spectacular mark just before halftime near the top of the goalsquare for what appeared to be a certain goal.
However, instead of going back and putting the Sherrin through the posts from close range and straight in front, he opted to handball off Nakia Cockatoo.
As he was giving the handball, the siren sounded for halftime, costing Brisbane the halftime lead.
As the key forward, he needs to take the responsibility for kicking those goals.
For both clubs, it is far more important how they finish the year, than how they started it. Port have made back-to-back preliminary finals without proceeding to the big dance while Brisbane have been a top four team the past three seasons only to make one prelim, losing five of their six finals appearances.
Heavy injury toll adds to Port’s misery
Port Adelaide has been dealt a double injury blow, losing Xavier Duursma and Trent McKenzie during a bruising 11-point loss at the Gabba.
In a game where several Power players hobbled off the field at various stages, Duursma was substituted with a left collarbone problem and McKenzie was taken from the field on a mobile stretcher with what commentators speculated was an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Duursma had been crunched front on by Lions hard man Mitch Robinson in the visitors’ backline midway through the first quarter.
After taking a few moments to gather himself, Duursma continued playing for a short time, only to jog to the bench.
The 21-year-old wingman was replaced by medical substitute Steven Motlop at the first break.
McKenzie was in pain after his left leg landed awkwardly when he spoiled the ball in Brisbane’s attacking 50 during the fourth term.
The 29-year-old key defender looked like he knew immediately it was serious and the Power doctors did not move him until the stretcher came out.
There was a four-and-a-half minute break in play as he was taken off the ground.
While Duursma and McKenzie did not finish the match, the club might need to keep a close eye in coming days on three who did — Connor Rozee and Aliir Aliir (both ankle issues), and Robbie Gray (knee).
Rozee hobbled off early in the third quarter after his left foot landed on a Brisbane opponent’s, then went down to the change rooms for further treatment.
He came back on for the last term.
It was a similar story for Aliir, who landed awkwardly on his right ankle in a marking contest with Robinson on the wing before heading to the rooms and returning to the field for the start of the second half.
Gray’s right knee problem was assessed off the ground in the opening few minutes of the game and he spent most of the first term on the bench.
The veteran re-emerged with strapping on his knee.
Duursma and McKenzie join spearhead Charlie Dixon, goalsneak Orazio Fantasia and halfback/wingman Miles Bergman on the Power’s injury list.
Dixon, who is recovering from ankle surgery, is hoping to play again by Round 3 or 4.
Duursma’s injury continued a difficult run after he missed 13 games last season due to a hyperextension of his right knee.
McKenzie had looked to be behind Tom Clurey in the pecking order over summer before the latter underwent knee surgery this month.
The 29-year-old former Gold Coast Sun has reinvigorated his career at the Power, becoming its first-choice fullback the past two seasons.
Brisbane captain Dayne Zorko was also part of the game’s injury carnage, getting substituted at three-quarter time with an achilles concern.
He was replaced by youngster Harry Sharp.
SCOREBOARD
BRISBANE: 2.2 4.6 6.10 11.14 (80)
PORT ADELAIDE: 1.1 5.4 9.7 10.9 (69)
GOALS
Brisbane: Daniher 4, Fort 2, McCarthy 2, Bailey, McInerney, Cameron
Port Adelaide: Houston 2, Boak, Amon, Marshall, Rozee, Powell-Pepper, Georgiades, Motlop, Drew
BEST
Brisbane: Daniher, Neale, Lyons, Adams, Robinson, Berry, Fort
Port Adelaide: Houston, Boak, Amon, Byrne-Jones, Wines, McKenzie
INJURIES
Brisbane: Zorko (Achilles), Rich (hip),
Port Adelaide: Duursma (collarbone), Gray (knee), Aliir (ankle), McKenzie (knee), Rozee (ankle)
VOTES
3: Joe Daniher
2: Lachie Neale
1: Dan Houston
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