With just a few minutes left in the fourth quarter of action at Marvel Stadium, a scary scene unfolded. North Melbourne Kangaroos player Tristan Xerri was reported to have suffered a heavy head impact in an incident with a Western Bulldogs player. The incident raised a lot of important issues surrounding the AFL’s handling of concussion. This is especially troubling given the league’s previous record on various concussion protocol regulations.
The call came just a few minutes into the last quarter. Rugby league player Xerri went down, after a glancing blow to helmeted head, delivered by Bulldogs player Sam Darcy. After the collision, Xerri lost control of the ball and fell face-first onto the grass. Fortunately for Sanchez, game commentator Brian Taylor noticed the foul almost immediately. He said all the replays justifying the forearm contact, leaving doubt about Xerri’s perusal safety.
With intense pain etched across his face, Xerri held his head and kneeled before collapsing to the turf. For all that, his presence and influence on the field has proved vast and enduring. As shown by teammate Tim English, who rushed to Xerri’s side as soon as the hit landed, spirits were high considering Xerri still went on to play. Port Adelaide legend Kane Cornes could hardly believe what the decision would mean. Smith urged that failure to keep Xerri on the field would have been dangerous.
“Still wobbly and he’s still out there. They’ve got to get him off.” – Kane Cornes
As gameplay went on, both players and experts began to express concern over the playing conditions. Taylor questioned how medical staff did not intervene sooner, stating, “How can we see it and they not? It’s bizarre.”
Star midfielder Luke Davies-Uniacke suffered a concussion in the first quarter of the game. During the 2011 NFL season, this incident raised a national outcry regarding concussion management. Cornes repeated his calls for the AFL to review its current protocols for HIA near misses.
After about ten minutes on the field following the incident, Xerri decided to exit the match. He headed directly to the medical services areas to get treated. During his time on the field, he recorded impressive statistics: 27 disposals, two goals, six clearances, ten tackles, and a goal assist.
Commentator Hamish McLachlan commented on the oddity of an opposing player making sure Xerri was okay while the game was still in progress. “Pretty odd scenes, I’ve got to say — Tom Liberatore checking on the welfare of Tristan Xerri,” he noted.
As a reminder, the AFL has in the past slapped huge fines for violations of concussion protocols. In 2023, Port Adelaide was fined $100,000 for failing to adhere to these guidelines, with $50,000 of that amount suspended. Some might wonder why it took so long for authorities to remove Xerri from the field. This is particularly worrisome after the kind of impact they made this past summer.
