‘Treat it if it’s your son’: Great calls for AFL change after ‘physically sick’ incident

Kangaroos legend David King says he was left feeling “physically sick” watching the heavy clash between Port Adelaide teammates Aliir Aliir and Lachie Jones and was stunned by the call to allow Aliir to return to the game, urging the AFL to review its protocols.

Aliir and Jones crashed into each other during the second quarter of Saturday night’s game as play was stopped for several minutes as the dazed pair were treated to by medicos and eventually helped off the ground.

Both players undertook HIA’s, with Jones subbed out of the game after a SCAT5 test, however Aliir returned to the field just under seven minutes after his initial HIA.

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Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley post-match backed in the club’s doctor and medical procedures and ensured that the health of players wouldn’t ever be put at risk.

The AFL is continuing to review the situation as well as the Power’s management of Aliir and Jones.

Speaking on Fox Footy’s The First Crack, King said his immediate thoughts go to the players involved and believes a duty of care needs to be made a higher priority.

“I felt physically sick last night … straight away I thought, OK, how do we care for these guys?,” King posed.

“When I watch these young men do these sorts of acts, I put myself into parent mode and I think, if that’s my son or daughter, how do I want this handled here from here forward?

“To go through the course of actions they have. OK, they get medically assessed and these guys are the best in their field, I understand that.

“I don’t want to go down the medical path, but I want to go down the protocol path.

“Treat it if it’s your son — Aliir Aliir going back on the field six minutes later without a SCAT5 test. I understand there’s other ways and other means, and I’m not going to get too caught up in it.

“But all the eyeballs that love football in Australia are watching this. This is how they handle their local football games and junior football games.

“I think we were sold something at the start of the year that’s far different to the output and outcome we got on Saturday night.

“I’m uncomfortable with that and the AFL has to take a bit of a stance here. Something has to shift.”

King emphasised the long-term effects from concussions and trauma from head knocks.

“I’ve been to the concussion seminars (concussion campaigner) Peter Jess has had and I’ve seen hundreds of former players in real trouble,” he added.

“Physical trauma, emotional trauma, relationship trauma, financial, trauma — they’re a mess at 50 years of age. I’m sick of talking about it, I’ve talked about protecting the head for five years.”

Aliir’s return to the field was widely questioned on social media, with King also suggesting the he should’ve, at minimum, been made to undergo a SCAT5 test immediately.

And while trusting Hinkley and backing the club followed official protocols, the Roos great pointed out that the Power had a similar incident last year where Zak Butters and Tom Jonas returned to the field several minutes after being left blooded from a head clash.

“It’s a long game. OK, all games are important to win, but at some point, you’ve got to say: ‘He’s one of our own, he’s family, we’ve got to put this guy first’,” King added.

“I’m sure they’ll say they did, (but) the evidence is not there, not for me. I’m uncomfortable with the whole thing.

“I hope the AFL come down and change protocols. I’m not here to embarrass the doctor or club or anything like that, but we’ve got to shift from this.

“I trust Ken and I trust that’s 100 per cent right. But they had a similar episode last year.

“It’s a different setup than last year and we’ve got a different set of rules. But now do we need another set of rules?

“They’ve had experience in this field before. This is why I get uncomfortable with the whole thing, there are grey areas.

The dual premiership Kangaroo continued: “At the start of the year, people told me this wouldn’t happen: ‘No, no, we have got hard and fast rules on this sort of thing.’ Well, they don’t seem so hard and fast right now.

“I’m not getting involved in the medical side of it. Just the look and the fact that these young men are going as hard as each other as they’ve ever gone. We have to get them away from this situation.

“It sounds like both those guys will play this week, I don’t know where I sit with that … it’s really an uncomfortable feeling.”

Two-time All-Australian Leigh Montagna concurred with King, suggesting Port should’ve gone over and above to ensure the wellbeing of Aliir.

“You thought straight away, they’re both out of the game,” he told First Crack.

“You’re surprised he came back on so quick, and you’re right, the optics aren’t a good look.

“Even if he was fine, six and a half minutes (being off), that’s hardly any time, that’s a rotation on the bench.

“At least sit there for a little bit and say: ‘Take 10-15 minutes, see how you’re feeling. If you’re good, we can look at it then.’

“It was confusing for everyone to see how quickly he was able to come back on.”