Aliir Aliir should miss Port game against Geelong after head knock, neurological expert Dr Alan Pearce says

Port Adelaide defender Aliir Aliir should miss this weekend’s game against Geelong after “falling like a ragdoll” in a sickening head clash, an expert says.

• Power could cop penalties for Aliir saga

Port Adelaide player Aliir Aliir showed clear signs of concussion when he collided with teammate Lachie Jones and should not play for the Power this weekend, according to neurological expert Dr Alan Pearce.

Aliir collided heavily with Jones in a head clash that knocked both players to the ground. Jones was taken for a head-impact assessment (HIA) after the second-quarter Showdown 54 head knock and subbed out of the game with what Port said was a migraine.

The AFL is considering penalties for Port Adelaide over its handling of the head knock and is investigating, while ex-Port Adelaide star Jay Schulz said the footage and return of Aliir made him “feel sick”.

Aliir remained on the bench for five or so minutes and returned to the field without an HIA after being assessed by the club doctor, coach Ken Hinkley said.

“Given that he showed clear signs of concussion on the field, so when he clashed heads, if you saw the vision here, he fell with what we call no protective action,’’ Dr Pearce said.

“He didn’t try and put his arms out to protect himself. He just fell like a ragdoll.

Aliir Aliir, left, on the ground with Lachie Jones of the Power after they collided during the Showdown. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty

“That clearly showed that he had lost consciousness, for even a second, is enough for me to suggest that he should be having the appropriate rest.’’

Dr Pearce said Aliir should now enter a 12-day rest period, which would mean he would miss Port’s game against Geelong on Saturday.

Aliir returned to the field and played out the game and questions have been asked why he did not undergo a SCAT5 concussion test.

“If the club and the AFL say that player health and wellbeing is their highest priority, then here’s an opportunity to prove it,’’ he said.

Hinkley said Aliir played on without a test after the doctor made an assessment.

“The doctor made those decisions based around both players and he was really clear and really certain to me and Aliir was too,” Hinkley said.

“I sat and spoke with Aliir and he was clear as you could be.

“The doctor was very, very comfortable that the situation was well and truly okay and that he was able to go back on.”

The AFL on Sunday said its investigation would continue as it monitored the symptoms of players and continued discussions with Port Adelaide.

“Over the coming days the AFL will continue to have dialogue with the Port Adelaide Football Department and their club doctor to closely monitor the management of Aliir and Jones,” it said.

The moment Aliir Aliir and Lachie Jones clash heads in Saturday night’s Showdown. Picture: Fox Sports

Lachie Jones and Aliir Aliir collapse after the head knock. Picture: Fox Sports

Dr Pearce said in his experience, even though a player such as Aliir was not displaying immediate symptoms it did not mean they had not suffered a concussion.

“Given that his symptoms resolved fairly quickly doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s recovered,’’ he said. “What we’ve known for over a decade now is that players have been apparently fine, but actually going back on when they weren’t.’’

Dr Pearce also said, assuming he was right that Aliir had shown signs of a concussion, the defender may have been at risk of further damage by returning to the field if he had suffered another blow to the head during the Showdown.

He said a condition known as “second-impact syndrome, while rare, was “potentially catastrophic’’ and had caused death overseas.

Dr Rowena Mobbs, neurologist at Macquarie University Hospital said the AFL should use independent concussion experts to assess players, rather than rely on club doctors.

“Those external to the sport can well understand the potential conflicts faced by an in-house, club doctor and decisions around taking that player off the field. Those within the sport ought to consider this more carefully,’’ Dr Mobbs said.

Dr Mobbs also saidthe Aliir/Jones incident was “sickening to watch and confusing to say the least on the events afterwards’’ but hoped it would lead to the AFL changing policies around concussion and the associated brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

CTE cannot be diagnosed until after death and former Richmond player Shane Tuck was found to have a severe case after he died by suicide in July 2020.

“I only hope that what comes of this are twin changes in both the concussion and CTE policies from the AFL,’’ Dr Mobbs said.

“You can’t have one without the other if you want long-term safety for players, and you can’t have real change without actually naming CTE”.

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Originally published as Aliir Aliir should miss Port game against Geelong after head knock, neurological expert Dr Alan Pearce says