Mitch Robinson sparks fury on social media after pro-bump tweet

Former Lions midfielder Mitch Robinson has sparked furore on social media after being accused of the ‘worst tweet of the year’.

Mitch Robinson of the Lions reacts to the umpire during the 2022 AFL Round 13 match between the Brisbane Lions and the St Kilda Saints at The Gabba on June 11, 2022 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Former Brisbane Lions midfielder Mitch Robinson has sparked the bump debate again, sending footy Twitter into a frenzy with his commentary on Shane McAdam’s brutal hit that might well earn him an early-season holiday after the Crows’ loss to the Giants on Sunday.

“I don’t care what anyone says, that’s just a part of footy I bloody love,” wrote the big-bodied former midfielder.

“Take that out of the game and it’s just who is the most talented,” he wrote.

“The tackle is already on its way out.”

The Crows forward lined up the Giants’ Jacob Wehr in a crunching hit that sent the youngster flying backwards, and could be heard all around Giants Stadium.

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“I’m 50 metres away and you could hear the smack,” Cameron Mooney said on Fox Footy.

It comes as Melbourne’s Kysaiah Pickett and Lance Franklin copped time from the Match Review Panel for their hits earlier in the round, and commentators as well as fans on social media expect that McAdam will be in hot water himself.

“He’s going to be in a world of hurt from the match review panel,” said David King on commentary.

I don't care what anyone says, that's a part of footy I bloody love. Take that out of the game and it's just who is the most talented. The tackle is already on it's way out. pic.twitter.com/Kjo0BbfPkT

— Mitch Robinson (@MitchRobinson05) March 19, 2023

Twitter was not complimentary of Robinson’s commentary on the bump, however they soon realised the former star was igniting a discussion on the topic with a purposely inflammatory tweet.

One social media user sarcastically remarked “they should bring back king hitting (too), or else then it’s just a game of football”.

Another said: “(This is an) early nomination for worst tweet of the year.

“It’s 2023 mate. Get with the times. This was not okay.”

“Makes Dane Swan look like f**king Einstein,” said another.

Multiple responses noted the ongoing reckoning that the AFL and the sport are having with head impacts and concussion, as well as the increasing prevalence of former players presenting with CTE symptoms.

Shane McAdam’s (rear) hit on the Giants’ Jacob Wehr (ground) might land him in hot water. Photo by Phil Hillyard

“Past players are dying because of CTE and Mitch Robinson thinks it’s sensible to tweet this,” said one.

“I’m sure these guys will keep in mind that you love it, Robbo, when they can’t remember the names of their kids or grandkids when they’re 60,” said another.

“We’ve got former AFL players driving into trees. Get a grip Mitch,” said another.

“This tweet might make its way into that concussion lawsuit, I reckon. Insane take,” said another.

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a brain condition caused by repeated blows to the head, leading to early-onset dementia.

The symptoms include memory loss, impulse control problems, depression and suicidal ideation, and often do not present until years after the last head trauma, with the condition only able to be diagnosed after death.

The link between contact football codes and CTE has been popularised since the release of the 2015 biopic Concussion, which starred Will Smith as forensic pathologist Bennet Omalu, the first person to publish research findings on American football players and CTE.

Robinson (right) played 147 games for the Lions after 100 games at Carlton. (Photo by Albert Perez/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

Gary Rohan was knocked out in a sickening blow in 2019. (AAP Image/Kelly Barnes)

CTE has been diagnosed in former AFL players including Polly Farmer, Danny Frawley and Shane Tuck, as well as champion Maroons coach Paul Green who took his own life aged 49 last year.

Robinson clarified in a follow-up video a few hours later that the tweet was deliberately designed to provoke debate, given “all the news at the moment about concussion”, calling it a “social experiment”.

“We’ve seen a couple of big hits (this weekend)...so I want to see what the public and what Twitter is thinking,” he said.

Had some fun with this one😂

Massive response on the tweet, it's good to see that people are concerned with players past and present welfare but I don't know if they genuinely care or love having a crack at ol Robbo!

Do the crime, do the time by the looks of it. pic.twitter.com/AJmGb7RqpM

— Mitch Robinson (@MitchRobinson05) March 19, 2023

“I just want to see what people are saying, see what they bite at.

“(I’ll) make (the tweet) a little bit self-entitled.”

Robinson clarified that while he “loves the bump”, but that it was a “pretty big thing for people to make sure they can play the game (safely).

“The research that we’re getting (about) concussions is pretty full-on, so (tough-guy) football is not really needed anymore.

“What can the AFL do to (deter concussion)?

“Keep suspending people (for high hits), I guess.

“If you elect to bump, you’re just going to get weeks regardless.”