WAFL

Just ahead of the opening round of AFL football, the league announced adjustments to their concussion protocols for all leagues - from the AFL on down including professional, community, junior, etc. For AFL and AFLW players, the 12-day minimum waiting period (to be eligible to return to play) will remain in place. Players are monitored under a multi-stage platform and cannot return to training or playing without a medical clearance. Should symptoms persist beyond the 12 days, a player could be sidelined longer. Concussions have been a long running issue in the AFL (as in most contact sports globally). The history of the AFL in dealing with the problem is checkered at best (Ed. note: see our long list of concussion related stories over the past 18 years: Concussion related articles.)

For all other competitions, there will be a 21-day protocol. The AFL stated that this is due to the fact that the lower level competitions do not have the medical and support resources available to the AFL and AFLW. The AFL says it will work with all leagues and football bodies, including the Western Australian Football Commission and the SANFL, to encourage the universal adoption of the new protocols.