AFLW 2021: Shocking neck injury to GWS Giants’ Irish import Brid Stack
Adelaide midfielder Ebony Marinoff has been hit with the longest suspension in AFLW history after young Giant Brid Stack was left with a broken neck. See the incident here.
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Adelaide midfielder Ebony Marinoff has been hit with the longest suspension in AFLW history after the AFL Tribunal found her guilty of forceful front-on contact for the bump that left Greater Western Sydney’s Irish recruit Brid Stack with a fractured neck.
Marinoff was banned for three matches – a third of the AFLW season.
WATCH THE INCIDENT ON THE VIDEO ABOVE
Stack was injured in the final minute of Sunday’s practice match between the Crows and Giants after she collided with Marinoff as they went for a ground ball contest following a ball-up in the GWS forward 50.
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In a statement issued by the Crows’ Tuesday night, Marinoff said she did not mean to hurt Stack.
“I’m really disappointed with this outcome, it was never my intention to hurt Brid,” Marinoff said.
“Every time I go onto the footy field I want to play hard but fair football and I believe that’s what I did on Sunday.
“I reached out to Brid to send her my best and I wish her a fast recovery.”
Marinoff was charged with forceful front-on contact for the incident and was referred straight to the Tribunal which sat on Tuesday evening via an online meeting.
In a two-hour-long hearing, Marinoff pleaded not guilty, arguing that she had no viable alternative in the contest because she had another Giants player to her left, and only a split-second’s notice that Stack was approaching in her direction with her head over the ball.
The Crow recounted the incident for the Tribunal members, saying that when she saw Stack approaching, she stopped and braced as much as she could and tried to move to her left, but was prevented by Giants player, Alyce Parker who was also heading for the contest.
“(Marinoff) did slow down and stop and that was all she could reasonably do in the circumstances,” Adelaide counsel, Mr Armstrong, told the Tribunal.
“She did everything she could to stop and there were no other alternatives to her.”
The Tribunal was shown video evidence of the incident and counsel assisting the AFL Tribunal, Andrew Woods, argued that Marinoff had a duty of care to Stack who had approached the contest with her head over the ball.
After a lengthy deliberation, the Tribunal found the 23-year-old 2019 All-Australian guilty of the charge of forceful front-on contact.
Mr Woods argued the penalty should be three matches based on the statutory minimum for the charge, but the Crows argued given Marinoff’s clean prior record – particularly given she’s the AFLW’s all-time leading tackler across four seasons and 30 games – and that the AFLW season is substantially shorter than the men’s season, the penalty of three games was too high.
But the Tribunal didn’t agree and banned Marinoff for three matches.
Crows head of women’s football Phil Harper said the club would assess its options after the verdict.
“The club is really disappointed with this outcome and we’ll be considering our options going forward,” Harper said.
GIANT’S SHOCK BROKEN NECK PROGNOSIS
Irish recruit Brid Stack has walked from hospital after suffering a minor break in her neck during a Sunday AFLW practice match in Adelaide.
It was the 34-year-old Stack’s first ever game of Australian rules after the Gaelic football star joined Greater Western Sydney this pre-season.
She fell to the ground screaming in pain after ploughing headfirst into a tackle in the final minute of Sunday’s friendly against Adelaide at Norwood Oval, with the match then abandoned.
The Giants said Stack, who relocated to Australia with her husband, Carthach Keane, and 14-month-old son, would not need surgery but had been fitted with a neck brace.
Scans revealed Stack has a stable fracture of the C7 vertebra and no injury to the surrounding nerves.
Miraculously, the Giants have not ruled her out for the season.
“This was an incredibly unfortunate accident and we’re thankful that Brid has avoided serious injury,” Giants head of women’s football Bri Harvey said.
“Brid and her family have made incredible sacrifices to come to Australia to play in the AFL
Women’s competition and we will be supporting them all the way through her recovery.”
Stack’s husband was on the sidelines as a member of the Giants bench on Sunday and rushed out to lay by her side as she was treated by paramedics and taken to Royal Adelaide hospital.
Fellow Gaelic football star Cora Staunton also rushed to be by her teammate’s side and was visibly upset by what had happened.
Stack was released from hospital in the early hours of Monday morning, less than 12 hours after the accident.
The Giants, who are drawn to open the season in Perth on January 31, have been based in Adelaide since Friday because of border restrictions across the country.
It’s understood the Giants had been chasing Stack’s signature for a number of seasons before she decided to fly to Australia.
Having retired from Gaelic football two years ago, after winning 11 All Ireland senior medals and seven All Stars, Stack took up an offer from the Giants to try her hand at Aussie rules.
She moved to Australia in December with her husband son Carthach Óg.
They spent two weeks in quarantine in Perth before travelling Albury, north of Melbourne, where Stack joined up with the squad for the first time at their training camp.
AFLW GAME CUT SHORT AFTER DISTRESSING SPINAL INJURY
With the AFLW season now less than two weeks away, the two remaining AFLW practice matches were played on Sunday with wins to Collingwood over North Melbourne and Adelaide over Greater Western Sydney.
The Magpies headed to Ikon Park to take on the Kangaroos, and debuted seven new players, including the club’s first father-daughter pick Tarni Brown.
After a slow start from both clubs, which saw North Melbourne leading at halftime by one point (9-8), the accelerator was pressed in the second half, with the Pies coming back to claim a 12-point win, 47-35.
Meanwhile at Norwood Oval, 2019 premiers Adelaide declared their intent early against GWS completely dominating their opponents in the opening term, with only inaccuracy stopping a complete domination.
The game ended with less than a minute to go after Giants Irish import Brid Stack was hurt in a tackle and was taken to hospital by ambulance.
The Crows won by 20 points, 2.21 (33) to 2.1 (13), with both teams coming together, arm in arm, in the middle of the oval for a minute’s silence in honour of late Giant Jacinda Barclay who died in October.
Unfortunately Irish recruit Brid Stack has been taken to hospital following spinal precaution protocols after a collision in a tackle late in the fourth quarter.
— GWS GIANTS (@GWSGIANTS) January 17, 2021
She’s in the best possible care and we will provide a full update when we have further information. pic.twitter.com/VtSJ3u7fKl
LIKES
1. RANDALL RETURNS
Crows’ three-time All-Australian defender Chelsea Randall returned to football after rehabbing the ACL she tore in late 2019 and showed no signs that she had missed the entire 2020 season.
In typical Randall style, she was back to her high marking, fist spoiling, hard tackling, shoulder-bumping best. She played three quarters, with coach Matthew Clarke moving her into the forward lines in the second term and said post-game he was impressed with her form.
“It was great to see her back out there, I’m sure she enjoyed it and we enjoyed having her back,” he said.
2. DAVEY LEADS
Collingwood unveiled their co-captains for the first time, with Steph Chiocci now supported by former Carlton captain Brianna Davey. Davey makes history this season becoming the first person to ever captain both Carlton and Collingwood.
Magpies coach Steve Symonds said the two footy veterans complimented themselves well on the ground, with each having similar traits that would make them a great leadership team.
3. GIANT EFFORT
Only two days after relocating to Adelaide – and taking a giant step towards keeping this AFLW season track amid COVID-19 border restrictions – this Giants fought hard all day, with the likes of Irish veteran Cora Staunton and midfielder Alyce Parker being run through the midfield.
Captain Alicia Eva spent time in the first half on the bench and showed why she’s such a respected leader by constantly talking and encouraging whoever was alongside her, or was yelling out instruction to the field.
4. NEW NORTH COACH
The Kangaroos might have gone down, but defender Tahlia Randall said the side would be all the better for having their first competitive hitout under new coach Darren Crocker.
Randall said the team’s five new draftees each had game time, giving them a chance to adapt the faster, harder footy of AFLW level.
DISLIKES
1. CROWS INACCURACY
The Crows completely dominated the Giants for the first half and despite being down 7-8 on the clearance count, Adelaide had more than doubled the inside-50 count, 24-9 by the end of the second term.
And yet for all that forward pressure and effort, the Giants were always left in the game thanks to wayward kicking by the Crows, even from set shots up close. The Crows had 16 behinds to the main break, and finished with 21.
Coach Clarke will have goalkicking practice on his list of things to do ahead of the season.
“ (Goal-kicking) is already part of the program and today highlights that part of training, is an important part of training, so we won’t do anything different, we’ll just perhaps have a slightly renewed focus (ahead of Round 1),” he said.
2. DEVASTATING INJURY
The Crows/Giants clash had been a hard, fierce game all day, but ended in the 19th – and final – minute of the fourth quarter when GWS’s new Irish import – playing in her first game of AFLW after arriving from Ireland a month ago – was hurt in a tackle and fell to the ground. An ambulance arrived at Norwood Oval and they took her to hospital in line with league protocols for spinal precautions.
The two teams came together for an emotional moment post-match to honour Jacinda Barclay in our first match since her passing.
— GWS GIANTS (@GWSGIANTS) January 17, 2021
Our number 34 will be with us always. 🧡 pic.twitter.com/951209Mmkh
3. DUFFIN’S RETURN AWAITS
North Melbourne’s Jess Duffin, had been named earlier in the week to return to the field following the birth of her first child. Unfortunately fans will have to wait until Round 1 to see the veteran back in action, with Kangaroos coaches preferring to give her a little bit of extra conditioning before her return.
Why Saints fans will love their daughter-of-a-gun
– Simeon Thomas-Wilson and Nick Smart
It has been a while coming but AFLW games are back with teams taking to the field for the first time in nearly 10 months in practice matches.
Ahead of Round 1 in just under a fortnight, Geelong welcomed Melbourne to GMHBA Stadium, Carlton took on St Kilda at Ikon Park, Richmond and the Western Bulldogs clashed at Punt Rd. In Perth, West Coast and Fremantle went head-to-head and Gold Coast and Brisbane enjoyed a solid hitout in Queensland.
“There was a real sense of excitement to get out there and play a proper game of footy,” Melbourne captain Daisy Pearce said.
“Training is all right but it’s not why we play the game, so it was good to get out there after a long stint of not playing and a big block of pre-season training.”
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LIKES
SKILLS ON THE UP
It was only the first batch of practice matches, but it was already clear the skill level is on the up. At a locked-up Ikon Park on Saturday, Carlton and St Kilda put on an entertaining contest in which the Blues fought back to win by two points. What stood out was the smoother transitions of play and the better hitting of targets. It will continue to take time, but the skill level is on the improve.
DAUGHTERS OF GREATS
Saints fans will get a real kick out of seeing Alice Burke in action this season. Wearing the No. 3 like her famous father and Saints legend Nathan, Alice looked a real prospect at Ikon Park against the Blues on Saturday. Playing off halfback, Burke was at the bottom of every pack, much like her dad was in his 323 games at the Saints.
RISING STAR
Tyla Hanks was Melbourne’s most improved player in 2020 and she looks to be taking this momentum with her into 2021.
Fresh off being added to the Demons’ leadership group, the 21-year-old put Melbourne on her back through her work at the contest and attack on the footy after Geelong had kicked four straight goals to open the game.
“I thought she (Hanks) was great and really gave us that lift in the second quarter with some of her contest work and physicality,” Pearce said.
“I thought she kind of turned the game and set the tone for us in the second quarter.”
The Dees have struggled to turn developing talent into established players but Hanks looks set to make the jump.
BOUNCING BACK?
Richmond didn’t win a game in its debut season in 2020, while the Western Bulldogs and West Coast only snared one victory each.
And while it was only the first practice match of the season, there were optimistic signs for the three strugglers of 2020.
The Eagles took it right to highly-rated Fremantle, as recruit from the Bulldogs Aisling McCarthy kicked three goals, before going down by 10-points.
McCarthy’s former club came back from an early 17-point deficit to beat Richmond with Bulldogs skipper Ellie Blackburn kicking two crucial late goals.
The No. 2 pick from the AFLW draft Jess Fitzgerald stood out for the Dogs, while Tigers coach Ryan Ferguson was able to give his No. 1 pick Ellie McKenzie a run-out after halftime for his developing team.
“I think they did learn a lot from last year, what the standard was in game and what the standards needed to be away from games, so they really raised their standards,” Ferguson said.
THE SCORES
Geelong 5.4.34
Melbourne 8.7.55
Carlton 6.4 (40)
St Kilda 5.8 (38)
Fremantle 5.7 (37)
West Coast 4.3 (27)
Western Bulldogs 6.7 (43)
Richmond 3.11 (29)
Gold Coast 4.2 (26)
Brisbane 6.7 (43)
DISLIKES
SLUGGISH DEES
The Dees got away with giving up the first four goals of the game against Geelong – can they afford to when premiership points are on the line?
They have plenty of high-end talent but Pearce said this would not count for much unless they bring some grunt to the footy, which they didn’t do for the first quarter against the Cats.
“If you don’t bring that physicality with the footy you are going to give up a start and you can’t afford to do that,” she said.
“You don’t always get that luxury with the shorter quarters and the way that AFLW games in particular play out it can be really hard to run down a lead so we can’t afford to do that.”
‘BIG BOY’ SHINERS
Blues midfielder Lucy McEvoy is in a race against time. McEvoy, who goes by the nickname ‘big boy’ after her cousin and Hawthorn utility Ben McEvoy, left the game on Saturday after copping a knock and was sporting a big shiner on her left eye. Not the best timing with the club’s team photo set to be taken in the coming days. Although, Blues insiders suggest the shiner won’t worry the former No. 2 draft pick, who will wear it as a badge of honour. That much was clear when she gave a small Blues contingent of players in the stands a thumbs up and smile as she went down to the rooms with an ice pack on her eye.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Fremantle’s mantra for season 2021 is “unfinished business” after the league decided not to award the Dockers the 2020 premiership despite the club having the best record across both conferences last season.
It is nearly 10 months since the AFL made the call to cancel the 2020 AFLW with two weeks remaining because of COVID-19 and the fact there is no reigning premier – something AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said would be “contrived” if the Dockers were named as winners – still feels strange.
Fremantle was a powerhouse in 2020 and kicked things off this year with a win over West Coast.
How will the lingering disappointment at how it all ended last year affect its flag tilt this season?
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Originally published as AFLW 2021: Shocking neck injury to GWS Giants’ Irish import Brid Stack
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