North Melbourne believes it followed medical sub guidelines with injured Roo Aidan Corr

A player subbed off in Round 1 remains an outside chance to play next week, and the club in question has defended the decision.

Aidan Corr is still a chance of playing in Round 2. Picture: Michael Klein

North Melbourne believes it followed the new medical substitution guidelines to the letter of the law even though Aidan Corr is a chance to play Gold Coast in Round 2 this weekend.

Corr was subbed out of the loss to Port Adelaide after returning to the ground with a toe issue to see if he could play through the game.

Scans this morning confirmed a case of turf toe for Corr, with the ex-GWS defender an outside chance to take on Gold Coast.

Coach David Noble said after the contest the Roos had subbed him out because of the capacity to worsen the injury even though he was not certain to miss 12 days through the injury.

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Aidan Corr was subbed out with a foot injury. Picture: Getty Images

Debutant Charlie Lazzaro came on as Corr’s replacement. Picture: Getty Images

The AFL said when it announced the hastily-introduced rule clubs should only use subs if an injury was likely to keep a player from action for that period.

But the Herald Sun understands those doctors after careful consideration believed they could “reasonably determine” he was likely to miss 12 days.

That phrase is critical to the use of a medical sub under AFL guidelines.

The AFL’s match day officials register the substitution, with the AFL’s chief medico Peter Harcourt then determining whether he is eligible to play the next week.

Clubs are to provide evidence of the injury on the next working day after their contest, with the league able to follow up to request medical scans.

Noble said the club’s doctors were very specific about only using the sub if a player was injured and had a chance to make it worse.

“We don’t have a crystal ball, and he actually went back on for 10 minutes. But when he went back out he wasn’t in any capacity to defend,” Noble said.

“We were just at risk under the medical protocol to cause more issue with that toe so we made the call.”

Jed Anderson (calf) is likely to return this week, while Robbie Tarrant will be tested after being a late withdrawal with a sore groin.

Ben Cunnington is finally ready to play after overcoming the AFL’s increasingly arduous concussion protocols.

Ben Cunnington is ready to go. Picture: Michael Klein

The star midfielder sustained a head knock nearly six weeks ago in a February 12 collision.

But he was not able to tick off the AFL’s concussion protocols, which meant he had to be completely free of all concussion symptoms including headaches before returning to training.

Under new rules a player must complete three training sessions, including one full-contact session, before being passed fit.

That took nearly a month for Cunnington, who has now progressed from the league’s red “zone” to orange to green.

His return for the clash against Gold Coast is entirely about whether he has got enough match conditioning after six weeks without a game or match simulation.

Young North midfielder Curtis Taylor was concussed and will miss the Gold Coast game.

Noble said he would likely miss two games given consecutive six-day breaks.

But he pulled up well on Monday morning and could play on the 12th day of the concussion protocol in Round 3.

AFL COACHES HAIL NEW RULE

The AFL’s senior coaches have hailed the new medical sub for creating fairer AFL contests after clubs played by the rules in Round 1.

But Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd has urged coaches not to blood first-gamers as the medical sub after Hawthorn’s Connor Downie was stranded without game time in his debut.

After the first round of the AFL there were no significant controversies with the rule’s execution despite initial scepticism about Nick Vlastuin’s substitution on Thursday night.

Clubs mostly used the subs for obvious injuries over the weekend, including Jake Kelly’s concussion, Riley Bonner’s hamstring and Alex Pearce’s ankle injury.

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin said after Fremantle used the sub on Pearce then lost Joel Hamling to injury it was important they were not out of the contest.

“What we are trying to avoid with the sub is having games where its 22 v 20 at halftime and to have a medical sub enables that to take place more often than not,” he said.

“With all the changes to the game there will be some times where it could be an unfair advantage to a team with more players available, so the AFL has done a great job of bringing it in. Will it be clunky at times? Yeah, but we are all accepting of that.”

Oscar McDonald kicked a goal moments after being subbed on by the Blues.

It is understood the AFL did consider a 12-day mandatory rest for players who are subbed off.

But doctors made clear it would be unfair on players initially diagnosed with a two-week injury who then made remarkably quick recoveries.

Geelong coach Chris Scott said the rule passed the fairness test after Adelaide’s Jake Kelly was replaced following his early concussion.

“I think it’s a good thing because clubs don’t get beaten by bad luck. You can argue the timing (of its introduction) all you like, but I don’t see any point in delaying a good decision if it’s a really good decision and they want to prioritise fairness and the welfare of the players.

“An extra lever to help teams who suffer a bit of bad luck is one to argue with in my opinion.”

Hawks first-gamer Downie will be credited with an official AFL game and paid a match fee despite Hawthorn not calling on him in its win over Essendon.

Connor Downie (right) was the sub for Hawthorn in his first game.

Coach Alastair Clarkson was asked about Downie in the post-match and refused to buy in, but Lloyd said it robbed the game of its romance.

“I wouldn‘t play a first-gamer until he’s ready to play in the 22, not to be the sub,” Lloyd said on Channel 9.

“I just think that you can recount your first game and the joy of ringing your parents, your first handball, your first touch, you get 20 tickets for your friends and family.

“Connor Downie’s done all that, but he’ll never be able to say he played a second of it.

“Imagine Jamarra Ugle-Hagan rocks up for his first game for the Dogs and he doesn’t play a second, that would be flattening. It’s no different to a guy who’s taken pick 53 in the draft.

“I’m saying don’t play him at all, Connor Downie has starred throughout the pre-season (and) his time will come.

“I wouldn’t play a first-gamer in that situation because that’s what he’ll remember it for.”

North Melbourne’s Charlie Lazzaro started as the medical sub in his debut game on Sunday and finished with one kick after being called on in the last quarter to replace Aidan Corr (toe).

IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO FIX SUB RULE

- Jon Ralph

For a decade the AFL offered clubs the extraordinary lure of a priority pick for persistent failure to win games then warned them not to tank.

Clubs couldn’t resist the temptation despite the hovering threat of the loss of premiership points and draft picks.

What seems certain from the AFL’s first game of the year is the league has again opened Pandora’s box with the medical sub rule.

Because the evidence was overwhelming in the Carlton-Richmond game that introducing a fresh player could be the difference between winning and losing a contest.

Between playing finals and missing out.

Between a senior coach losing his million dollar job and being sacked for underperformance.

Once again there is a huge incentive on offer if a club out there is prepared to bend or break the rules.

All eyes are on the AFL sub rule after Nick Vlastuin’s exit from the game. Picture: Getty Images

The AFL has already ticked off Richmond’s assessment of Nick Vlastuin on Thursday, as the Tigers ruled him out with a bruised knee that he said on Friday was an issue with his cartilage or fat pad.

For what it’s worth, he told reporters on Friday critics of his substitution were “idiots” given he could barely bend his knee, climb stairs or even tie his shoelaces on Friday morning.

So for the sake of a 12-day clause to replace an injured player, Richmond’s is forced to defend its player and its doctor’s judgment for an injury that 24 hours later could yet turn out to be serious.

But put Vlastuin’s injury aside and consider how the sub rule will play out in the 197 home-and-away games still to be played after the impact of fresh legs Thursday night.

The AFL has already ruled that Richmond didn’t “game” the system, but it doesn’t mean another club in more desperate circumstances won’t be sorely tempted.

Because to see Oscar McDonald and Jack Ross play was to watch two players in Beast Mode in a video game while their opponents ran through quicksand.

When Carlton subbed out Jack Silvagni (shoulder) McDonald, not even on an AFL list 11 days ago, replaced him and turned into Stephen Kernahan in the blink of an eye.

Not only had the former Melbourne defender with a single goal in 81 career games kicked truly 91 seconds after his injection into the game, he picked up six possessions in his first 11 minutes.

Will Nick Vlastuin be right to play next week? Picture: Getty Images

Damien Hardwick was raving about his influence post-match.

Carlton was all over Richmond as the third quarter progressed.

And then in the heat of battle Richmond was asked to make a judgment on whether Vlastuin’s corked knee would keep him out for the following week if they sub him.

They made what has already become an AFL-approved judgment, and Ross amassed eight excellent possessions and 200 metres gained from 29 minutes of game time.

Richmond could well make the case they might still have won, but rival coaches will watch the game aware the sub becomes an extraordinary potent force late in a contest.

It is only natural coaches, who in the past pushed doctors to get borderline players back out there, will now apply subtle pressure for their medicos to label those injuries as sufficient to be a 12-day injury.

And if they don’t outright do it – and we have seen the examples in the Amazon footy documentary – then the doctors will still feel that pressure.

Had the AFL forced the substituted player to miss the following week, or just allowed clubs to substitute players when they want, all those shades of grey would have disappeared.

Now from the very first game of the season the Judgement of Richmond’s medico has already been questioned, as it turns out unfairly.

It’s not too late for Hocking to simply tighten or loosen the parameters around the sub – a mandatory week off or no injury-based criteria at all – so the culture of distrust and accusation immediately melts away.