AFL 2021: AFL calls on more players to donate brain as league hails new stringent concussion protocols

With its new concussion rules set to come into effect this season, the AFL has called on players to consider donating their brains to aid researchers.

David Swallow falls to the ground after being concussed in a tackle.

The AFL says its tightened concussion protocols are the “most stringent of any sport in Australia” and it will be encouraging more past players to donate their brains for research so experts can “continue to learn”.

All AFL and AFLW players will have to be sidelined for a minimum of 12 days after suffering a concussion this year, up from only a six-day mandatory rest period in 2020.

The new guidelines mean concussed players will miss at least one match but could miss more games depending on scheduling.

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Retired Port star Brad Ebert wore a helmet to protect his head after a number of knocks. Picture: Getty Images

The Australian Sports Brain Bank has warned a full recovery from concussion can take up to 30 days, but the AFL says it has acted on the best advice of its in-house medical officers.

“We’ve basing that on the advice of our chief medical officer and deputy chief medical officer,” AFL General Counsel Andrew Dillon said.

“Where the AFL’s landed is probably the most stringent of any sport in Australia.

“The 12 days is a minimum, so it’s not like straight away everybody’s going to be ready to play after they’ve missed a game. The doctors will continue to assess the players like they have been doing. Ultimately the doctors make the call and it’s going to be based on the health and the welfare of the player.”

Former Saint Paddy McCartin’s concussion issues are well documented. Picture: Getty Images

Dillon said the league had “great confidence in our club doctors”, who would continue to make decisions on whether players had been concussed and if they were fit to play after the 12-day mandatory break.

The tightened protocols come after former Richmond midfielder Shane Tuck became the third ex-player to be diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, following Geelong great Graham ‘Polly’ Farmer and St Kilda champion Danny Frawley.

A crippling neurological disease, CTE is linked to repeated head knocks and can only be diagnosed after death.

“What I’d say for the Farmer family, the Frawley family and the Tuck family is deepest sympathies for them but also to thank them for making the courageous decision to donate their brains to the Brain Bank because it just provides more information for us,” Dillon said.

“It’s things that we’ll be talking to our past players and current players about, hoping to donate their brains at the time so that we can continue to learn.”

PLAYERS OUT FOR LONGER IN CONCUSSION OVERHAUL

Concussed AFL players will be sidelined for at least one match under a major overhaul of the game’s policing of head knocks.

In an admission more needs to be done to tackle the scourge of concussion, the league has significantly strengthened its return-to-play protocols for the 2021 season.

Under the former guidelines, concussed players were able to play seven days after a knock if they passed medical assessments.

The lay off period will now be extended to at least 12 days.

It means a player knocked out in a preliminary final would miss the Grand Final.

David Swallow falls to the ground after being concussed in a tackle.

The AFL has confirmed a Herald Sun report all players who suffer concussion will have to sit out at least one match.

“The updated concussion guidelines represent a significant step in the AFL’s existing record of ongoing improvements to its concussion management strategy that reflect medical research and other learnings over time.” AFL general counsel Andrew Dillon said.

“The reality is we play a contact sport and there is always going to be risk, however over recent years we have continued to take action to strengthen match-day protocols and amend the Laws of the Game to discourage high contact. We also have used the technology that is embedded in the AFL ARC to provide another opportunity to identify potential concussive incidents that would not have otherwise been detected.

“The updated guidelines are the most stringent concussion protocols in Australian sport and we are committed to continuing to take action to protect the safety of players at all levels of the game.”

The changes follows revelations Richmond footballer Shane Tuck, who died last year, had become the third AFL player found to have been suffering from a crippling neurological disease linked to repeated head knocks and subconcussive hits at the time of his death.

Geelong legend “Graham” Polly Farmer and St Kilda great Danny Frawley were also diagnosed post-death with CTE – chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

WorkSafe Victoria said on Monday its own independent inquiry into the AFL’s concussion protocols “was continuing”.

Players who suffer head knocks will face longer lay-offs. Picture: Getty Images

Concussion campaigner and veteran player agent Peter Jess said it was now clear the AFL’s return-to-play concussion guidelines had been “manifestly inadequate”.

CTE was an “industrial disease”, Jess said, that had exposed the game to serious litigation.

“The only comparison we have is the James Hardie asbestos case where they had to set up a compensation fund and pay out in excess of $2.6 billion over a 30-year period,” Jess said.

He is pushing for the establishment of a similar AFL concussion damages and research fund for past and present players.

“If we are going to stop the intergenerational industrial disease, the AFL must make hard decisions and not resile from the fact that players should not return until multimodality tests confirm the brain has returned to a healthy state,” Jess said.

“The medical and scientific data is telling us that is 30 days.”

Prof Alan Pearce, the Victorian-based affiliate of the Australian Sports Brain Bank in Sydney, says a 30-day hiatus would allow the human brain to “recover properly, so it reduces inflammation and the brain’s immune cells can repair the micro-damage”.

A proposed Federal Court damages action involving more than 100 former VFL/AFL players has stalled because of a “disturbing” lack of medical records kept by clubs.