AFL Fumbles Concussion Call: Umpires, Players Fuming After Schultz Debacle
AFL boss Laura Kane admits to a botched concussion response involving Lachie Schultz. Umpires, players and fans blow up over the league’s handling of player safety.
AFL’s Headache Worsens: Schultz Incident Sparks Firestorm
Collingwood forward Lachie Schultz copped a hit, hit the deck… and then play just kept going — like nothing happened. Except, of course, everyone watching saw him clearly struggling. Now the AFL is under the blowtorch for fumbling yet another head injury.
Laura Kane, the AFL’s footy boss, has stepped up and said: yep, we mucked this one up. The umps did see Schultz struggling after a hit from Fremantle’s Jordan Clark, but they didn’t stop play.
Initially, the league said the umpires missed it. Turns out, that version was as shaky as Schultz’s legs.
Concussion Crisis By the Numbers
| Incident | Player Involved | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Schultz hit & play continued | Lachie Schultz (Collingwood) | Umpires saw him — didn’t stop play |
| Petracca returned with ruptured organs | Christian Petracca (Melbourne) | Played on after internal injuries in King’s Birthday clash |
| Cameron refused medical check | Jeremy Cameron (Geelong) | Later diagnosed with concussion |
| No whistle for serious leg injury | Harry Jones (Essendon) | Dislocated ankle — play kept going |
AFLPA: “We’re Not Angry, Just… Oh Wait, Yeah, We Are.”
Paul Marsh from the AFL Players Association didn’t mince words. After leaked audio confirmed umps saw Schultz struggling, Marsh fired back:
“This highlights how unclear health and safety processes are. And we’re tired of seeing the same mistakes repeated.”
He welcomed the AFL taking responsibility but made it clear — players need clearer protocols and officials better training to respond in the moment.
Laura Kane’s Mea Culpa
Kane admitted the initial AFL statement was wrong. Why? Because they relied on umpire memory instead of the obvious — the footage.
“All four umpires from that game have now been coached… or rather, as some might say, strongly counselled,” Kane clarified.
Caroline Wilson chimed in on Channel 7: “It wasn’t a coaching session, it was a grilling.”
Umpires: Quietly Fuming
Privately, umpire circles are reportedly “seething.” No one likes being thrown under the bus — especially when the bus is reversing over you in high-vis.
Initially, all four umpires said they didn’t see Schultz down. But the broadcast audio said otherwise — you can hear them clearly mention him.
So, either selective memory or someone didn’t want to admit they forgot page one of the concussion protocol: stop play if a player’s jelly-legged.
Not the First Bungle… And Likely Not the Last?
This is part of a worrying pattern:
- Petracca’s internal injuries nearly turned deadly.
- Jones left writhing on the ground, ignored.
- Cameron self-declared himself “fine” and played on.
The AFL might have slick rulebooks, but when it comes to real-time response, the human element is still the weak link.
What Needs Fixing?
- Real-time concussion spotters with power to stop play
- Mandated off-field checks after any significant knock
- Clear guidance to umpires: when in doubt, STOP play
- Post-match audits to flag missed interventions
Final Siren
The AFL is lucky this time — Schultz is okay. But the next player might not be. With player safety now firmly in the public eye (and the cameras catching everything), there’s no excuse for mixed messages or missed moments.
Whether it’s confusion, complacency or just plain cock-up, the AFL needs a tighter game plan on player health — before fans start asking, “Where was the whistle?”
