Umpire alerts Carlton to potential injury to young gun Will Setterfield

It’s a thankless job, AFL umpiring, but umpire Chris Donlon deserves all the praise in the world after spotting a Blue in trouble and making sure club staff knew about it during Carlton’s loss to West Coast.

A quick-thinking umpire made sure Carlton staff knew Will Setterfield may have been struggling after a head knock. Picture: AAP

A concerned umpire has taken the health of Carlton’s Will Setterfield into his own hands, relaying a message through the players to the Blues’ medical staff.

Setterfield hit his head on the ground in a crunching tackle from West Coast’s Jack Redden half way through the final term of the Blues’ four-goal loss to the Eagles at Marvel Stadium.

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Umpire Chris Donlon was overheard on the on-ground mic telling players to have Blues’ medicos check on the 21-year-old midfielder.

“Tell Carlton, Setterfield, he’s in a bit of hurt … his eyes were everywhere when he got tackled here,” the umpire said.

A quick-thinking umpire made sure Carlton staff knew Will Setterfield may have been struggling after a head knock. Picture: AAP

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Setterfield was seen to on the field by Carlton’s physio, before playing on momentarily and then going to the bench to be assessed by medical staff.

Essendon great Tim Watson praised the umpire’s quick-thinking.

“It’s great from the umpire isn’t it?” Watson said on the Seven coverage.

“To spot that and then to notify the medical team of it, because, often, a player can be out there and nobody’s aware of the fact that they haven’t got all their faculties together.”

Then umpires in the match, won by West Coast 15.9 (99) to 11.9 (75), were Donlon, Sam Hay and Cameron Dore.

Blues’ coach David Teague wasn't aware of the incident when questioned by reporters after the match.

In the Round 19 clash between Collingwood and Richmond, Magpies coach Nathan Buckley revealed last week the Pies were unaware of a concussion suffered by defender Jordan Roughead until Brayden Maynard relayed the news.

“Brayden Maynard had rotated off and had the conversation and said ‘go and check out Roughy, because I don’t reckon he’s all there’,” Buckley said.

“That’s when they grabbed him off and did the concussion (test), made it delayed concussion of some sort.”

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Originally published as Umpire alerts Carlton to potential injury to young gun Will Setterfield