Surfers Paradise Demons QAFL coach Sam Dwyer reacts to reprimand handed to player who drove with knees into tackle
An Aussie rules coach says the governing body has left itself open to players driving with the knees into tackles after making a shock verdict on an act he believes could have caused a broken jaw. See the incident here.
Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A state Aussie rules coach says the governing body has left itself open to players driving with the knees into tackles after a QAFL player was only reprimanded for an incident he believes could have caused a broken jaw.
Surfers Paradise player Benjamin Woodburn narrowly avoided serious injury after Palm Beach Currumbin’s Tom Simpson lunged at him with his knees in a spiteful clash last weekend.
Woodburn was already tackled on to the ground and being held by an opponent when Simpson made contact to Woodburn’s neck and head.
It was one of multiple hits Woodburn copped in his side’s 19-point win over PBC at Sir Bruce Small Park.
He managed to continue playing while battling a cut to the head before failing to finish the last quarter. X-rays this week showed bone bruising on his hip.
There were six incidents the AFL Queensland match review panel had to assess from the game, with Simpson responsible for four of them.
There was an early guilty plea for the knee contact, another striking charge was downgraded to a sanction from a one-game ban to a reprimand, while another separate striking charge was brought down from a two-game suspension to one.
A fourth incident was dismissed.
PBC’s Dylan Adkins was reprimanded for a low level striking charge while Surfers Paradise’s Laurence King got a two-game suspension for intentional rough conduct.
Surfers Paradise coach Sam Dwyer said driving with the knees carried an enormous amount of risk and said his player was lucky not to suffer more severe injuries.
“There is certainly a duty of care that should be considered with stuff like that,” Dwyer said.
“It’s pretty dangerous. Although Benny has got out of it reasonably unscathed, there is certainly risk involved.
“I wouldn’t encourage my players to do it. I don’t think it’s a great look, particularly when it’s up and around the head region.
“It’s a protected area which it should be because of the information that is now available for people.
“We know the symptoms of concussion and the long term effects that can come about from concussions.
“The league has made a rod for its own back with the decision. I would have thought that the safety of the player would have been considered.
“It potentially leaves themselves open for issues down the track with guys leading with the knees.
“He had no way of protecting himself. The action of driving with your knees is not something that should be part of the game.
“In some ways it’s accepting that it’s a football action and they can do it when people are in vulnerable positions.
“Just because he could play on in this instance, next time it could be far more severe and someone gets a lot more hurt. Heaven forbid we end up with a broken collarbone or jaw.”
AFLQ said the decision was in line with it’s National Community Policy Handbook.
“The AFL Queensland Match Review Panel charged Palm Beach Currumbin player Tom Simpson with the reportable offence of intentionally or carelessly kneeing another person during TPIL Lawyers QAFL Round 16’s match against Surfers Paradise,” a statement read.
“According to the National Community Football Policy Handbook this type of reportable offence is a classifiable offence and was assessed using the classification table within the handbook.
“The incident was graded as intentional conduct, body contact and low impact.
“In accordance to the relevant table, this offence incurs a one match suspension, which can be reduced to a reprimand if the club accept an early guilty plea on the player’s behalf.
“Simpson accepted the early guilty plea for kneeing and was served with a reprimand.
The accumulation of reprimands can result in a suspension.”
More Coverage
Originally published as Surfers Paradise Demons QAFL coach Sam Dwyer reacts to reprimand handed to player who drove with knees into tackle
Hulk Hogan’s cause of death revealed
The cause behind the unexpected death of the wrestling legend, comic actor and Trump campaigner has been revealed.
Conor McGregor loses rape appeal
Conor McGregor has lost an appeal against a civil finding that he raped a women in a major blow to the UFC star that could set him back by $3 million.