Past players believe clubs will exploit an injury loophole to create a stoppage at a crucial moment of a tight game, possibly even during a cut-throat final.
It follows a decision by field umpires during Friday night’s clash between Adelaide and Hawthorn to pause play late in the game to allow midfielder Will Day to hobble off the field. The player was believed at the time to be experiencing leg cramps.
Will Day hobbles off Adelaide Oval with cramp.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
He was escorted off by a club physio.
The injury fell well short of the concussion suffered by Collingwood forward Lachie Schultz against Fremantle in Perth earlier this year that led to criticism of central umpires for not stopping play in the name of safety.
“I think teams will exploit it,” outspoken former Port Adelaide player Kane Cornes told SEN on Saturday of delay over removing Day from the ground.
“Will Day was 60 metres from the ball.”
Adelaide star Ben Keays said there had not been a clear, consistent theme with pausing games this year.
“We have had some games where players limp off with an ankle injury and play goes on,” Keays told SEN.
“Playing with a man down can hurt you. Whatever it is, it just needs to be consistent.”
Former North Melbourne star and West Coast coach Adam Simpson called on new AFL football boss Greg Swann to intervene.
Simpson said the rules should be tweaked to allow an umpire’s coach sitting in the stands to intervene.
He said the coach should be able to guide the men in the middle about the seriousness of an injury.
“He’s only cramping, let it go,” Simpson said.
But Hawthorn had other concerns today as Day returned home with a moon boot on his foot. The club is saying the foot was stomped on during the match.
It was the same leg that needed navicular surgery earlier this year.
