Sydney Swans premiership playerย Tadgh Kennelly has called on the AFLW to eradicate foul play in the new AFL women's competition.
Toughness has been a feature of the AFL Women's, with plenty of big hits in the opening two rounds. Several have resulted in reportsย including the bump that concussed Melbourne player Meg Downie.
Meg Downie has been carried from the ground on a stretcher following a collision. We are wishing Meg the best #AFLW #AFLWomens #AFLWPiesDees pic.twitter.com/bLhIj99mpi
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) February 11, 2017
Kennellyย has identified that because the women are not yet professional they haven't had the time to develop the self-protection methods utilised in the men's game.
โThis is uncharted ground and it takes time and a lot of coaching to get used to protecting the head,โ Kennelly told Fox Sports News.
โI have a concern โ itโs a small concern โ but I know how difficult it is coming from the other side of the world and protecting your neck and head. It took me a long time to get over it and get it right. Thatโs the concern I have with womenโs football.
โThere are a lot of girls who havenโt played a whole lot of AFL football at the top level and not as full time professionals.
โThe (behind the play) stuff is unacceptable at any level โ man, woman or child.โ
Australian female cricketerย Alyssa Healy agreed with Kennelly, saying the womenย are hitting hard to prove they are as tough as the men.
โMost sport is very male dominated,โ Healy told Fox Sports News.
โWhen you go out there you want to prove that youโre just as good as the blokes. Footy is that you want to tackle hard and make that contest. Maybe the girls are going just a little bit too hard and maybe it will even itself out.โ
