Mabior Chol goes in hard on Tom Stewart after bad mismatch during the first quarter of the AFL Round 19 match between Geelong and Richmond at GMHBA Stadium. This incident has ignited a firestorm of discussion surrounding player safety and concussion protocols within the league. The injury happened in Geelong’s defensive 50, and Stewart was forced to leave the field having been substituted because of the concussion. Geelong’s task is an incredibly tough one. Now they have to get ready for the AFL Grand Final without one of their most important defenders.
Chol performed a thunderous block, restricting both of Stewart’s arms and dropping him in a heap. Consequently, Stewart was unable to play. Turns out early reports were incorrect. Little did we know that it was his right wrist that he needed tending to, not his ankle, as he grabbed at it while being helped off the field. Staff assessed him on the field, but he was ruled out due to concussion and replaced by Jhye Clark.
AFL’s strict 12 day concussion protocols, Geelong will be without Stewart for that Grand Final, regardless. This decision has further inflamed anxieties over player safety and the newly created rules regarding tackling in the league. The incident is particularly notable given that Mabior Chol may face scrutiny from the match review officer for his tackle, which has drawn comparisons to a previous incident involving North Melbourne’s Paul Curtis.
Curtis received a three-week suspension earlier this season for a similar tackle on Port Adelaide’s Josh Sinn, prompting discussions about the consistency of disciplinary actions within the league. At the time, 7NEWS Melbourne’s Xander McGuire explained what made that tackle so important. As he wrote, “It is quite possibly the most consequential on-field moment of the season,” pointing to its effect on both player safety and team culture.
Former AFL umpiring guru, Ray Chamberlain came to Chol’s defense as well, arguing that the tackle was not illegal. He noted, “Different tackle, different level of force — so we talk about excessive force and driving the player forward.” More broadly, Chamberlain contextualized what led to Stewart’s death, emphasizing that it was Stewart’s own forward movement that resulted in the collision. Co-founder Tom Stewart going solo on the very first carry as we take a big cut. The difference, of course, is that he’s choosing to make that decision.
For all of Chamberlain’s strong defense, commentators are still split on whether or not Chol will be punished. Matthew Richardson expressed uncertainty regarding the decision-making process, saying, “That happened so quickly and with Stewart’s momentum already forward going to ground trying to get a handball off, I wouldn’t want to be the MRO trying to get through that one.” He reminded the audience that this moment was indeed a disaster years in the making. Others have warned for decades that this is exactly the kind of scenario we might face.
James Brayshaw took to the airwaves to condemn such a prospect as a suspension. Sure, it’s a little bit different, but I mean if you think Curtis’s decision was bad, equally bad if Mabior misses. Brady pointed out that Chol’s tackle lacked any rotation. He claimed that it didn’t place Stewart’s head in a dangerous position. So I don’t really think there’s any case to answer here for Chol,” he wrapped up.
With Stewart unavailable for the Grand Final, Geelong face a very different challenge and will have to modify their game plan drastically. Fellow centre-back Jack Henry had already undergone treatment for an ankle injury in the first half. When Stewart went down with injury, he was pressed back into action to fill in for Stewart’s absence. This development not only strikes a blow against an impressive Geelong lineup but further calls into question how they are protecting their players in high-stakes games.
