Sydney Swans coach John Longmire brings up send-off rule after Tom McCartin concussion

John Longmire thinks it’s worth exploring a send-off rule after a third Swan in less than a year was subbed out through concussion with the aggressor then serving 3+ weeks on the sidelines.

Longmire has again spoken about the potential need for an in-game leveller for players subbed out due to foul play. Picture: Matt King/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Swans coach John Longmire believes an in-game send-off system involving the ARC could be an option in the future for foul play after a second Sydney player was forced from the ground following a high bump this season.

Key defender Tom McCartin failed his HIA test after being hit high by the shoulder of the Giants’ Callum Brown. Brown played out the game but will spend the next three weeks on the sidelines after being charged with rough conduct.

Earlier this year, Harry Cunningham spent multiple weeks out with concussion after being collected high by Essendon’s Peter Wright. Wright went on to serve a four-game suspension.

While Longmire felt it was important not to make a snap judgement based on a single incident, he felt that an in-game punishment should be considered to help level the playing field.

McCartin was subbed out in the second quarter after his collision with Brown. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“I think there’s going to be always incidents in football, that are going to be unfortunate things that happen,” Longmire said.

“It’s unfortunately happened to Tom and unfortunately, we lost him for the game and the next game.

“You need to step back from the actual incident from Tommy on the weekend and say, ‘Is it a reasonable approach to consider that at some point down the track?’. Maybe? If you’ve got people in the ARC down in Melbourne that are watching it, only the really clear incidents, maybe it’s worth a consideration.

“It wouldn’t be to punish the player, it would be to even it up. These types of incidents do happen in football. But is there a way that can be evened up on match day? Maybe that’s a consideration for the experts down the track.”

It’s not the first time Longmire has brought up the idea of a send-off rule. The experienced coach also spoke strongly on the topic last year after Jake Lloyd was forced from the field following a collision with Toby Nankervis that saw the Richmond captain hit with a three-game ban.

Thankfully for the Swans, Longmire provided a positive update on McCartin after his incident on the weekend.

The 24-year-old spent the best part of two months on the sidelines last year after lingering concussion symptoms. His brother, Paddy, also medically retired from the game due to his repeated brain injuries.

Although McCartin’s time frame to return isn’t yet clear, he has pulled up well from the clash on the weekend.

For the second time this year, the Swans were forced to play with one fewer player because of an act a player was later suspended for. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“He’s feeling really good, which is a positive,” Longmire said. “He wasn’t knocked out during the actual incident so that’s a relief for everyone.

“He can recall everything that happened and he’s pulled up well. So far, it’s been positive news.”

The Swans are the form team of the competition, sitting on top of the table after eight rounds with a healthy percentage to boot. It’s a strong position to be in, particularly in comparison to 2023 where they were chasing their tail through the back half of the year.

However, Longmire knows that this Friday night’s clash against Fremantle poses a unique challenge, especially coming off a six-day turnaround.

The combination of Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson has provided the Dockers with an edge around the stoppages all year. And while replacing McCartin is one concern, Longmire confirmed he is also weighing up whether to hand Peter Ladhams his first start of the year.

Peter Ladhams will be on the plane to Perth as the Swans consider playing two specialised rucks against Freo’s Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“Freo are the second-best defence in the competition and number one clearance team by a long, long way,” Longmire said. “They’ve been in really good form this year.

“We know that Nick (Blakey) can play tall, we’ve also got a couple of key defenders in our VFL team that are ready to come into the team as well to replace Tom. They’ve got the three good marking targets Fremantle, they’re very strong in front of the ball with their keys.

“They’ve been playing two rucks, they’ve got some height. We’ve got to weigh all that up. We’ve been pleased with Hayden McLean … as a second ruck, but Pete has been in pretty good form.

“We feel like we’ve got some options there, and we’ll need to, Freo are very good in that department.”

Originally published as Sydney Swans coach John Longmire brings up send-off rule after Tom McCartin concussion