Sydney coach John Longmire says a send-off rule in the AFL would be a “reasonable approach” to malicious incidents which result in teams losing a player as he confirmed star defender Tom McCartin had recovered well from his heavy hit last week.
McCartin’s brother Paddy was forced into early retirement after a series of concussions and 24-year-old Tom also missed nine games last year following complications from a concussion in round four.
Despite fears he would be facing an extended period on the sidelines again, Longmire said McCartin wasn’t “knocked out” in the incident against GWS, which resulted in a three-game suspension for Giant Callum Brown.
But McCartin remains in concussion protocols, will miss this week’s clash with Fremantle and will need to tick the right boxes before he can return.
“He’s feeling really good, which is a real positive. He wasn’t knocked out during the actual incident so that’s a relief for everyone and he can recall everything that happened, and he’s pulled up well,” Longmire said.
“His recollection is really clear and he can remember everything. That’s all we can go on for the moment. He’s obviously in the protocols and we’ll follow that but he’s feeling okay.”
The idea of a send-off rule in the AFL has been raised several times already this season, less as a deterrent for excessive on-field aggression but more as a way to “even up” teams who have to sub players out with injuries caused by others.
That’s the way Longmire views the issue, and urged the AFL to at least consider it.
“Is it a reasonable approach to consider that down the track? Maybe,” he said on Tuesday.,
‘Only the real clear incidents, maybe it’s worth a consideration but I’m not jumping up and down about it. It wouldn’t be to punish the player it’s just to even it up.”
“These incidents do happen in football but is there a way we can even it up on match day? That’s a consideration for the experts down the track.”
Superstar midfielder Luke Parker looms as a potential inclusion for his first game of the season after racking up 37 disposals and kicking a goal in a second-straight VFL match in his return from a pre-season broken arm.