The AFL’s failure to protect players from high shots is a blight on the game

In the ‘war’ between rugby league and Aussie rules, Peter V’landys keeps raining blows on the jaw of the AFL - but the most damaging shot landed this week was self-inflicted, writes Brent Read.

Pretty big judiciary case in Melbourne this week. Divided the AFL world I read. Not sure how. Not sure why. If anything, the polarising reaction speaks to a code and supporters who are still grappling with concussion and the ramifications for the sporting world.

This incident involved a collision between a Melbourne player Steven May and Carlton’s Francis Evans that left the Carlton player with a concussion after he copped a shoulder to the head.

This columnist watched it once and thought it was a lay down misère for the judiciary. Watched it a second time and thought he would be lucky if he didn’t receive a long ban.

When May walked away with three weeks, my immediate reaction was that he should do cartwheels out of the hearing. He was fortunate he didn’t get more.

Steven May's collision with Francis Evans

The reaction though across the AFL has been damning for a code that is handing back ground to the NRL at a rate of knots.

May collected the bloke flush on the jaw. It was his responsibility to avoid contact with the head, just as it is for every other athlete in every other sport.

Yes, accidents happen but if you lose control at speed, you deserve to pay a price. He paid it and his club are apparently up in arms, looking to launch an appeal.

A word of advice. Pull your heads in and move on. Don’t do more damage to a code that is already under the cosh.

The NRL went through its own issues with head contact earlier this year. It seems like a lifetime ago. Players were getting sin-binned en masse and fans were in outrage.

Rugby league cracked down on high tackles - it’s time the AFL followed suit. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

The game overreacted than recalibrated. It found its happy place. Rugby league is no less as a result. You could mount an argument that the code is better than ever and contact with the head has largely become a thing of the past.

The AFL is still fighting the war and it’s a war they need to win given rugby league is nipping at their heels. A bullish ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys recently jetted to America armed with statistics highlighting rugby league’s rampant support as a television sport.

He shared them with some broadcasting heavy hitters and the message was clear – rugby league needs to be paid what it is worth. The expectation is that the gap between the respective broadcasting deals of the AFL and NRL is about to be significantly closed.

V’landys won’t be finished there. On the pages of this masthead, he spoke about the Las Vegas venture and plans to maintain the rage in America for years to come.

The AFL must watch on with envy. The NRL is enjoying a season where Canberra were tipped to come last by some pundits, yet remarkably find themselves on top of the ladder and headed towards a minor premiership.

The AFL has become predictable. My wife is leading the tipping competition at her work – she has done it by taking the favourites every week. Meanwhile, V’landys keeps raining blows on the AFL’s jaw. He gives them no respite.

The NRL is breathing down the AFL’s neck but it’s the head – and its protection – which arguably provides the starkest difference between the two codes.

Rugby league has waged a war against contact with the head and walked away with a safer game. If this week is anything to go by, the AFL clearly has work to do.

They have been accused of changing the fabric of their game. It’s an embarrassing claim. Hitting blokes in the head has never been part of the fabric of any code.

Time to grow up.

* * * * *

Jake Trbojevic sent Des Hasler a text this week to congratulate him on coaching 500 games in the NRL. The response brought a smile to his face.

“He sent back I hope Ben and the Punish are going well, referring to Tom,” Jake Trbojevic said with a laugh.

“I love being coached by Des. I loved just how much effort he put into Manly. The way I sort of go about things sort of really aligned with Des – very passionate person, very intense …. but I really enjoyed that.

“His attention to detail is something I haven’t seen much, you know what I mean? It’s great. It is mate, it is.

“He’s one of the greatest mentors I have ever seen. I feel honoured to have been coached by Des – it was just one of the highlights of my career being coached by someone who just loves this club, right?

“I just love how much he loved this club.”

(L-R) Tom and Jake Trbojevic, with former Manly coach Des Hasler.

Trbojevic spent four years under Hasler at Manly but prior to that, he grew up on Sydney’s northern beaches as a fan of the club during a time when Hasler was the kingpin at the Sea Eagles.

It was a period when the club enjoyed sustained success. In Hasler’s second coming at Manly, Trbojevic got the chance to learn first hand what it was like to learn off one of the great coaches of the modern era.

To say he walked away impressed would be an understatement. Listen to Trbojevic and he found not just a coach, but a kindred spirit.

“I know how hard he works,” Trbojevic said.

“That’s the most impressive thing – his passion. I don’t know, anything he ever told you, you just knew he thought about that till 3 am.

“You knew it wasn’t just bullshit. You know what I mean? I have a lot of respect for that man. I hope they go out and do a great job for his 500th game.

“It’s obviously sad seeing him under pressure because I know how much work he puts in – he would be putting in that much work for them to get better.

“I hope he can hang in there and keep going because I think rugby league coaching is definitely him.”

Hasler’s 500th game comes amid a backdrop of drama on the Gold Coast. The Titans are now short-priced favourites for the wooden spoon and the club is expected to part ways with their coach at the end of the year, if not sooner.

Whatever happens, Hasler will go down as one of the modern greats. He may not have won as many premierships as some others, but his record sits comfortably alongside the likes of Wayne Bennett, Craig Bellamy, Ivan Cleary and Trent Robinson.

Asked whether he felt for Hasler given the current circumstances, Trbojevic said:, “I do because one, I really like him, and two, I know how he works.

“He’d be working so hard for them. He would be the first there and last to leave every single day. I have no doubt about that.

“When someone puts how much effort in you want them to do well. He won two premierships and has been in five grand finals.

“His record speaks for itself. To coach 500 games, you’ve got to be in your elite classes.”

Originally published as The AFL’s failure to protect players from high shots is a blight on the game