Western Bulldogs senior coach Luke Beveridge believes the AFL has been overreacting to the issue of concussion in the sport, to the point where we're stuck in a spiral of confusion on how to adjudicate collisions that have been uncontroversial for over 100 years.

Following the overturned suspension verdicts handed to Charlie Cameron and Toby Bedford on Thursday night, Beveridge shared his assessment of the state of affairs regarding head-contact over the last few years.

"We've all become significantly paranoid and overprotective of the head," the Bulldogs coach said on Friday morning.

"It's forced people into coaching the umpires a certain way, interpreting different situations in different ways because we're concerned that there might be some fallout."

"We're in a spiral now where everyone's confused."

The AFL is under legal scrutiny over their potential liability for the head trauma of numerous former players, with discussions raging over what constitutes "dangerous" contact in a naturally combative sport.

"Whether or not we just have to accept that our game carries risk... we're going to be in this constant confusion," Beveridge added.

"I don't think anyone's any clearer."

"We've got to wade through the marsh, really, it's a little bit murky. We'll find our way through it together, but at the moment it's pretty grey."

On Thursday's hearing specifically, Beveridge is pleased that both players are free to play this weekend, believing another upholding of their suspensions could have been very damaging for the code.

"I don't think anyone thought there was any malice in their tackles."

"They were physical. That's what our game is."

"It would have been a travesty if they had've missed any footy, let alone the length of the term originally handed down."

"I'm really happy for those boys and it's good for the game."

Beveridge conceded, perhaps surprisingly, that he has not shifted his method of coaching players how to tackle or attack a contest defensively.

LAUNCESTON, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 13: Luke Beveridge, Senior Coach of the Bulldogs addresses his players during the 2023 AFL Round 22 match between the Hawthorn Hawks and the Western Bulldogs at University of Tasmania Stadium on August 13, 2023 in Launceston, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

There seems to be risk of filling player's heads with too much information, as well as inadvertently discouraging them from playing with the aggression and ferocity that the game often requires.

"We haven't done anything differently. Because of the confusion, you're not sure which way to come at it," he revealed.

"We've pretty much continued on our merry way around how we used to coach the importance of the source, pressure aspect of the game, in the tackling and minimising the opposition's time with the football."

"It's such a hallmark of the identity of the game... the sanctity of it and the importance of it won't go away."

More coaches are sure to have their say on the issue and how it is being addressed to their playing groups, as the issue of concussion reaches a potential breaking point for the AFL.

1 COMMENT

  1. the solution is a simple one.

    Have the umpires make decisions based on the rules of the game…. every time and remove their discretion to ignore frees.

    Frees are for actions committed according to the game.
    Reports are for actions prohibited by the game and are outside those relevant to the game…. on the action – not the result.

    For example – a strike is in boxing, not football, so is reportable, regardless of the injury incurred or lack thereof.
    A push in the back is a free (so is holding the ball on ALL occasions)…. so is “ducking” for that matter……

    Reporting one player simply because another suffers an injury as a result of playing according to the rules of the game is corrupt….. it’s an arbitrary decision.

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