Kane Cornes and David King have got head-to-head on one of the AFL’s most heated topics – concussions in the league.
The AFL has moved to protect the head in recent seasons, increasing the length of time a player couldn’t play out to 12 days after a concussion had been suffered in 2021.
The league also appointed two executives in 2021 to lead the development of the AFL’s concussion protocols and strategy.
Despite this, head knocks have continued to be a heavily debated aspect of the game.
Consecutive concussions have been linked to CTE in recent years, a degenerative brain disease which has been found in multiple former players.
Speaking on SEN Breakfast, co-hosts Cornes and King held opposing views on the topic in an extended debate on how the league tackles the complex issue.
Cornes believes the game is tough enough as it is without adding the need for players to second-guess themselves, using the example of Carlton bull Patrick Cripps.
“Patrick Cripps is one of the toughest players I’ve ever seen and if the ball is there I’ve never seen him take a backward step, but he’s second-guessing himself playing the hardest game in the world to play with so many thoughts going through his head,” he said.
“Now Patrick Cripps has got to go, ‘Am I allowed to go win the ball, turn the body, am I going to hit the opposition high, what’s my technique like, what’s his technique like, is he going to slow down?’
“We’re making it really difficult for the players, is my concern.”
However, King believes that’s what is needed to change behaviour in the AFL.
“I concede in the short term we are (we are making it difficult for the players),” King began.
“But if you’re going to change behaviour there is a period of grey area in anything you do.
“The bigger win is preventing head trauma rather than trying to correct in post (incident).”
The AFL has also promised to crack down on players ducking into tackles in 2022, another cause of concussions on occasion.
Listen to the full discussion on concussion off the top of Friday’s ‘conversation starters’: