Mark Robinson: AFL must make a stand and pay a free kick against players who intentionally draw headhigh contact

The AFL needs to make a big rule change that will dissuade players from an action that can contribute to brain trauma, writes Mark Robinson.

Joel Selwood has made a career out of dropping at the knees to force contact to his own head. Picture: Michael Klein

Footy has a problem and it’s just not Jack Ginnivan.

The problem is about protecting the head and it might seem contentious, but it’s about protecting players from themselves.

Collingwood’s Ginnivan is the poster child of the “drop’’ and drawing a headhigh hit, but he’s not alone.

It’s like when players used to pile drive into the heads of players over the ball — that wasn’t Byron Pickett’s problem alone, either.

From when Pickett violently went after Hawk Brendan Krummel in 1999 to now, which is 20-odd years in concussion evolution, the AFL has taken giant strides to protect the head.

In between, head knocks have contributed to players killing themselves, to players losing their memory and to players dealing with mental demons.

And now we’re at the start of a potential epidemic, because as night follows day, will kids of this country follow Ginnivan — and others — in dropping their heads to draw contact.

The AFL can’t allow it to continue.

Young duck king Jack Ginnivan has become a poster child for winning free kicks with his own head. Picture: Michael Klein

At present, the AFL has guidelines about calling play-on when there is head contact after a player “drops’’, or when a player ducks, or when a player ploughs forward with head down, or when a player lifts his arm.

At times, a free kick is paid because dropping, ducking and ploughing is a player’s prior opportunity if he then doesn’t release the ball.

Other times, a ball up is called.

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The AFL needs to take a stand.

From next season, they must pay a free kick against any player who uses his head and/or neck area to draw a free kick.

It’s the only way players will be dissuaded from an action that concussion experts say will contribute to brain trauma.

Make no mistake, kids will copy Ginnivan and that’s not what the AFL wants.

The league won’t say it publicly, but as custodians of the game, they know they can’t allow this type of action to continue.

The lawmakers are responsible for a safer workplace.

This is not safe, this is dangerous.

Some observers say it’s smart football, others say it’s smart-arse football, an attempt to exploit the rules instead of playing the ball and, in essence, not playing to the spirit of the game.

The rules are rules, the mob say, but the rule is not working when we have a sport which enables a player to use his head to draw free kicks.

Joel Selwood has made a career out of dropping at the knees to force contact to his own head. Picture: Michael Klein

What are we waiting for, another Neil Sachse before we take it seriously?

The “drop’’ has to be stopped now.

Cries that Joel Selwood, for a decade and a half, forced contact to his head by lifting his arm are valid, and AFL great Dermott Brereton led that charge.

But let’s agree that concussion data and real-life tragedy has transported the discussion from mild frustration to genuine fears for players.

The AFL’s umpiring guidelines are good but, as the game evolves and players continue to exploit the rules, they need to be better.

Bugger prior opportunity, if you duck, or ‘”drop’’, it’s not play-on, it’s a free kick against.

The players need saving from themselves, and it’s just not Jack Ginnivan.

Originally published as Mark Robinson: AFL must make a stand and pay a free kick against players who intentionally draw headhigh contact