AFL Player # 7: Indefatigable Zach Merrett (c) - Your ANZAC Day Medallist - 25/4

[Beerfish]

Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent 2027
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 10, I Remember Bluey

 

[boncer34]

I would argue that if a player has one arm free and elects to hold onto the ball (and not protect themselves) then they have contributed to the dangerous tackle.

Not sure about the rulings for that though.

AFL disagrees.

Which is inconsistent with their protect the head mandate of course.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Player tackles or bumps Essendon player: PLAY ON!
Essendon player tackles or bumps others: Free kick oppo and/or suspension.

 

[Don Won]

Just pointing out it was Sparrow not Spargo.

Do you know how often i do that. I watch almost evey Dees game too.

A very important distinction this week, and should brought up by our defence team given that Spargo did actually get subbed out with concussion

 

[ghostdog]

Who cares. Appealing gives me a hard cap.

Some may care if your hard cap is appealing.

 

[ghostdog]

Semantics

It's surprising how many rules and laws have a basis in semantics.

 

[ghostdog]

So it’s hard to determine the Adams’ tackle as medium because there were two other players around the contest? Even though you can clearly see Adam’s run in and sling tackle him?

Derr. You suspend all three then.

 

[citizen-erased]

A very important distinction this week, and should brought up by our defence team given that Spargo did actually get subbed out with concussion

Im sure christian used it in his assessment (j/k.....or am i)

 

['51 Bewick]

Gawd Damo is an idiot. He said Merrett should be suspended as the Demons player only got up because of the type of head he has. Damo is totally looney tunes.

 

[DonsRule]

Know the AFL don't allow comparisons but

 

[boncer34]

Gawd Damo is an idiot. He said Merrett should be suspended as the Demons player only got up because of the type of head he has. Damo is totally looney tunes.

What kind of head does he have?

 

[Beerfish]

What kind of head does he have?

Presumably harder than someone who has a softer head and would have been injured - therefore it must be a suspension.

 

[boncer34]

Presumably harder than someone who has a softer head and would have been injured - therefore it must be a suspension.

So would we say he has a non-egg shell head?

 

[Lore]

Presumably harder than someone who has a softer head and would have been injured - therefore it must be a suspension.

If such a thing were shown to actually exist then all those soft headed players should be banned from playing AFL for their own safety

 

[Beerfish]

So would we say he has a non-egg shell head?

Those are your words yes.

 

[Beerfish]

If such a thing were shown to actually exist then all those soft headed players should be banned from playing AFL for their own safety

That would be discriminatory though.

 

[boncer34]

Those are your words yes.

You're not helping me categorise head hardness at all

 

[Beerfish]

You're not helping me categorise head hardness at all

That's correct.

 

[Lore]

That would be discriminatory though.

Not really.

I mean you can't say "you are banned because you have a soft head", but medical assessments are already conducted before players are drafted, and you don't have to draft them with a significant risk of concussion any more than a medical condition that resulted in heart problems, brittle bones or fainting spells.

Plenty of employment forms ask "do you have any conditions that would impact your ability to do the job?"

Plenty of sports require a personal injury waiver, and if you don't sign it you can't participate in competition.

The KO rules for boxing effectively exclude someone who has been concussed for significant periods of time on medical grounds.

And then you have opportunities to put in health and safety protocols that if violated could result in suspension as well, just as you would be stood down at work if you had a couple of near-misses after failing to put on PPE and reaching over the guard. For AFL purposes it might include not ducking, not leading with the head, wearing one of those mouthguard with the accelerometer in it, as well as obviously the rules currently in place on high contact, dangerous tackles, etc.

 

[Inspecta Gadget]

What kind of head does he have?

Damo? Rude.

 

[astrowizzle]

Can someone watch the Collingwood write up here

AAA: 'Embarrassing' Roos, heroic Port, Daicos the Brownlow fave?

Damian Barrett, Matthew Lloyd and Nat Edwards discuss a big weekend of storylines in Access All Areas

www.afl.com.au

And tell me why the Collingwood player at the very start hasn't been reported for the same tackle as merrett

 

[justlookingaround]

If he doesn’t get off on appeal I’m gonna eat my own foot in protest - it will be a brutal and disgusting spectacle and we’ll all know who’s to blame

 

[Beerfish]

Not really.

I mean you can't say "you are banned because you have a soft head", but medical assessments are already conducted before players are drafted, and you don't have to draft them with a significant risk of concussion any more than a medical condition that resulted in heart problems, brittle bones or fainting spells.

Plenty of employment forms ask "do you have any conditions that would impact your ability to do the job?"

Plenty of sports require a personal injury waiver, and if you don't sign it you can't participate in competition.

The KO rules for boxing effectively exclude someone who has been concussed for significant periods of time on medical grounds.

And then you have opportunities to put in health and safety protocols that if violated could result in suspension as well, just as you would be stood down at work if you had a couple of near-misses after failing to put on PPE and reaching over the guard. For AFL purposes it might include not ducking, not leading with the head, wearing one of those mouthguard with the accelerometer in it, as well as obviously the rules currently in place on high contact, dangerous tackles, etc.

That's fine but I think you're missing Damo's point.

 

[TheGrizz]

That would be discriminatory though.

Not really. It's no different legally then not allowing pregnant women over 36 weeks to fly, or theme parks putting height limits on attractions.

If by your physical make up you pose an unnacceptable additional risk to the person providing the activity/service then they are allowed to deny you entry.

Practically though it's impossible to really know how 'hard' someone's head is. So Barrett is still an idiot.

 

[Beerfish]

Stop ganging up on me. I didn't sling tackle anyone resulting in no concussion.

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

Stop ganging up on me. I didn't sling tackle anyone resulting in no concussion.

Prove it.