kev martin

His only other choice was to not contest, the ball or the spoil.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/melbourne-demons/afl-2023-jacob-van-rooyen-appeals-board-hearing-live-updates-blog-suspension-video-highlights-latest-news/news-story/ee4509ed79011f75e2b446f90505b8d4 Scroll down to the live blog

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/melbourne-demons/afl-2023-jacob-van-rooyen-appeals-board-hearing-live-updates-blog-suspension-video-highlights-latest-news/news-story/ee4509ed79011f75e2b446f90505b8d4 The live fox blog

Unacceptable risk, the CTE is a horrible injury. Don't play! Wow, The rules can be tinkered with to create a safe game. My problem is how they are going about it. The players need clear, consistent instructions, not what is happening via the Tribunal. It is not Rollerball, a 1975 movie, a bloodsport. AFL has much more beauty, than it has what you advocate.

There wasn't even a blow. I see the force to Ballard's neck coming from JVR falling onto his head via that upper arm. A blow requires more leverage/centripetel force than what occurred.

The appeal must be based on the words, reasonable, foreseeable/potential, and blow. I can't see how JVR would have had going through his head, that his spoil was going to result in a blow to Ballard's head. If his fist was going at Ballard and not the ball the of course, but his leading arm was going at the ball. The thoughts of JVR would have been get to and impact the contest, prepare for a hit, I assume Ballard would be the same. He would be a genius if he could predict the outcome of two independent bodies in a complex collision, give him an honoury degree in physics. It is reasonable to allow a player to go at the ball. The "blow" is a bit wrong. I see a player falling from his flight and putting weight through his arm to the head of Ballard. More a neck bend than, whiplash from a strike.

How confusing for the players. Most marking situations leave the chance or "inevitability of a forceful blow to the head". A glance by the upper arm is a forceful blow, what a precedent, no concussion. Well will there be consistency, and if so, the pack mark is dead. No knees to the head when leaping, no follow through when spoiling. The game has now changed.

The two players involved in heavy collisions can now be cited. Most probably only if two MFC players

Collisions are all to be cited! Wow, MFC scapegoated again.

The hit to Bowey head was not cited. The heavy body check and some part of arm to head, caused the citing to JVR. The difference was the energy involved in the collision. The bump is nearly finished. Kossie's sanction occurred because of the force of collision. Didn't hit head, tried to turn his body lateral, nearly perpendicular to the ground as he hit opponent across chest area, no concussion. Seems to me it is the force of collision they are looking at.

If the CTE stuff gets serious attention, more civil cases, and evidence of cause from collision. I believe they will have to, as "duty of care", forces them to be less aggressive towards the other, as body contact occurs. The ball becomes the object, and players getting to it first have protection. If an equally contested ball, then they must change direction and that energy cannot be a direct whack. (Tough when the bodies are unequal weight). They need 100%, as anything less leaves you open to injury, but not 100% directly at each other. The bump is nearly finished, soon the contest will have to be shoulder to shoulder, not shoulder at shoulder. That is the way I see footy heading, and the citing of JVR, is an indication that is where they are pushing the players.

Yes, just guess work. They have been having their main run out at Casey, usually at 9.30 am, 3 days before the game day (Wednesday this week). The next one at Gosch's is the captain's run, the day before the game also at 9.30 am (Friday this week). They have a recovery run on Gosch's, usually Monday at 11.30 am.

Cannot remember seeing Harmes today at training.

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/players/8628/will-verrall

May, looked to be moving well at training.

K.Turner and Verrall, have been increasing their work load, Kyle more so than Verrall.

JVR looked fine, stayed in the middle of the pack, most of the time. My guess is they have gathered around him.

Yes, looked like a brainstorming session of more than 5 minutes, and Petty was into it. I'd say Petty is working out of the backline, or at least the swing man. Very welcome to use the reports. Credit is definitely not required, though thanks anyway.

Eliza McNamara, Megan Fitzsimons, and Lily.

Light duties: Fritta, Rivers, Tomlinson, Woey, K.Turner, Verrall. Salem, TMac, Chandler, Hibbo, full training. BBB, Tomlinson, Fritta, and Rivers have now joined the main group after the warm ups. Mithen, Fitzsimons, and McNamara, (AFLW) have joined in for some drills. All under the guidance of Williams. Fritta now goal kicking. Three squads, handball game, soccer game, and Williams’ skill training. Dunstan in rehab, right calf. BBB and Tomlinson leave early, when the others start running harder. The full squad drill is, short passes in a pocket, that lends up on a corner of the fifty, then they kick and run around to the points of the square, which finishes with a lead to the forward area and a kick on goal. All rotate through the ground. That is it, 35 minutes. A few finish with some goal kicking. Tracc, Oliver, Kossie, J.Smith, Farris-White, Grundy. Bowey, and the women (still with Williams). Viney, ball handling with a trainer. May, Lever, Hibbo, and Petty chat.

I'm not so set on JVR, as he is being scapegoated. It is the inconsistency that concerns me. I also assume that concerns the players as well. If they are serious about reducing brain damage, then he shouldn't hit the player with such force. Given that if he put a knee into his head it would be deemed in the act of the game, within the rules of the game. Such is JVR's, within the rules of the game, as I interpret them. They are attempting to change the rules, so as to reduce brain injuries, which I believe is warranted. Just a funny way to go about it. Scapegoat a MFC, non-establshed player. They have done it, so now I expect consistency. No hits to head or heavy impacts when playing. That includes whacks to Gawn's head, players knocking the packs hard, knees to the head when marking, straggling the head when on the ground, (elbows such as what Gotchin does). Complete duty of care, otherwise JVR takes a fall that no other players will take.

Wouldn't he want to look so he can show duty of care and not hit the guy in the head with his fist. It was his follow through that got him. A collision was going to occur. More assessment to the guy after hitting Kossie's leg may have been required. How does he avoid that, unless he goes half-hearted, doesn't make it and pulls up. The AFL MRO, must have decided you cannot run into other players at full power. I want consistency. If consistent, then, players cannot knock over packs anymore and knees to the head when marking have to be against the rules.

Absolutely, they have set the standards and now need the consistency, that has been lacking. Making JVR the scapegoat, should send another message to everyone. Really hope that they do it, but past results show they won't.

CTE is real. The consequences of not showing duty of care can destroy our game. Parents will be reluctant to let their children play and the cost from being sued can destroy the financial viability. No one wants dementia, especially early (age) onset symptoms. We have a contact sport, though a little tweek here and there, can reduce the incidents and severity of potential injury. Can't see how that effects the enjoyment of our game. Limit hits to head and high velocity hits that shake the brain about. I want consistency and that the MFC doesn't becomes a scapegoat without the follow up to other teams.

Should be considered serious, as the consequences for repeated hits to head, no matter the consequences of the impact, can lead to CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy).