Mark Robinson: Harley Reid’s suspension is the price for education around concussion

Park our adulation of Harley Reid for a second, any sympathy for him for losing the Rising Star award over a dangerous tackle on Darcy Wilson is over the top and misses the point, writes Mark Robinson.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 01: Dom Sheed talks with Harley Reid of the Eagles following the final siren during the round 12 AFL match between West Coast Eagles and St Kilda Saints at Optus Stadium, on June 01, 2024, in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Everyone is talking about Harley Reid when the conversation should be about the action and Darcy Wilson. This time, Wilson was lucky.

The St Kilda youngster was slung into the turf at Optus Stadium in Perth. His torso hit the ground heavily and the whiplash action meant his head cannoned into the ground soon after.

Wilson was lucky because he only suffered a bloodied nose. It’s understood Wilson did not require a SCAT6 test and did not suffer a concussion.

Next time, he might not be so lucky.

The tidal wave of sympathy for Reid is ridiculously over the top.

He was suspended for two weeks because his action was determined to be careless, high contact and high impact.

Reid was given a two-game ban for this dangerous tackle.

Park our adulation for the young Eagle for a second. It was an aggressive action. And so was Sam Darcy’s decision to deliberately crash into the back of Collingwood’s Brayden Maynard.

Darcy is a delightfully talented youngster with the hallmarks of a young Paul Salmon.

But his decision to not attempt to mark the ball and instead deliberately pound into Maynard deserved to be punished.

If we swap sides – and if Maynard did that Darcy – the world would be furious in its condemnation.

Maynard was lucky to not have several ribs busted.

The two youngsters were favourites for the AFL’s Rising Star award and are not eligible.

And so they should be.

Unexpectedly, there are calls to change the rules. Why? Because people feel sorry for Reid and Darcy? That it’s unfair the award has a fairest element to the criteria?

Footy mostly always focuses on the event and the personality involved and not the victim.

Footy is trying to change behaviours. It’s trying to eradicate actions that cause concussion so we don’t have players retiring because their brains are polluted.

We’ve read enough about Nigel Kellett, Daniel Venables, Chad Rintoul and Angus Brayshaw to fear what could be.

What Reid did was exactly what the AFL doesn’t want.

And losing a Rising Star award is the price to be paid to protect and educate, for the greater good.

Originally published as Mark Robinson: Harley Reid’s suspension is the price for education around concussion