‘Injuries do happen’: Emily Bates says AFLW tribunal made right call on tackle

A Swans player was concussed in a brutal tackle last weekend, but a star rival says players accept not all head injuries are avoidable.

Sydney midfielder Paige Sheppard was concussed in a heavy tackle from Britney Gutknecht in the Swans’ win over the Western Bulldogs on Saturday. Picture: Dylan Burns / Getty Images

Hawthorn star Emily Bates says the AFLW tribunal made the right decision in freeing Britney Gutknecht to play following a crunching tackle which concussed a young Swan.

Sydney midfielder Paige Sheppard will miss at least one game after the incident, which led to Gutknecht being sent straight to the tribunal, but Bates said the tackle looked fair and the injury would have been difficult to avoid.

The AFL opted not to appeal the tribunal decision but said it would consider further rule changes to “deter avoidable forceful head high contact” in a statement similar to the one released after Brayden Maynard escaped suspension after concussing Angus Brayshaw in the AFL finals last month.

Western Bulldogs midfielder Britney Gutknecht was cleared of any wrongdoing by the tribunal after a heavy tackle that concussed Sydney’s Paige Sheppard. Picture: Sarah Reed / Getty Images

“The tackle in question resulted in Sheppard suffering a concussion, and the AFL reiterates that the health and safety of players is the AFL’s priority,” the statement said.

“Accordingly, the incident, in addition to other incidents which did not result in suspensions this year, will be subject to close examination at the end of the season.”

Bates said Sheppard’s concussion was “quite unfortunate” but the tribunal decision made sense to players.

“When you just look at the tackle itself, it just looked like quite a hard tackle as in just a strong, footy tackle,” she said.

“Those things happen in footy as we know. I think sometimes injuries do happen, but when it’s a football incident you just have to look at it as that.

“So I think where it landed is where it probably needed to land.”

Emily Bates says she is proud of her durability as she prepares for her 75th consecutive AFLW game against Port Adelaide in Frankston on Sunday. Picture: Daniel Pockett / Getty Images

Bates, the 2022 season six league best and fairest, will be among the first players to notch the 75-game milestone this weekend along with former Brisbane teammate Ally Anderson and star Crow Ebony Marinoff.

“The main emotion is just pride … to play eight seasons and not miss a game, it just shows the work I’ve put into my preparation as an athlete, as well as just my durability, especially playing as an inside mid, getting a lot of bumps and knocks each week,” Bates said.

The 28-year-old said she was enjoying the fight in an inexperienced Hawthorn midfield after spending her first seven seasons in a powerhouse Brisbane side but added the Hawks were determined to improve quickly after a frustrating loss to Richmond in Cairns on Friday.

“We’re certainly not satisfied with just two wins – we’re really looking forward to attacking these next two rounds,” she said.

Hawthorn will face fellow second-year expansion side Port Adelaide at Frankston’s Kinetic Stadium on Sunday.

Originally published as ‘Injuries do happen’: Emily Bates says AFLW tribunal made right call on tackle