COMMUNITY footballers who suffer concussion will now have at least an additional nine days sidelined before they can return to play.
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The AFL has this week announced new return to play protocols for concussed players, with the changes impacting community football.
Under the new guidelines unveiled the earliest a player can return to play after suffering a concussion is 21 days post the concussion incident provided they are given medical clearance.
The 21-day minimum for a concussed community footballer to be sidelined is an increase from 12 days.
The 21-day return to play protocol, which is for all age competitions, also includes the Coates Talent League, which includes the Bendigo Pioneers.
The return-to-play program consists of three distinct stages - rest, recovery and graded return to training and play.
Under the 21-day guidelines, if a player was concussed on, for example, Saturday, June 1, the player would be ruled out for the following two weekends and could return to play at the earliest on Saturday, June 22, if medically cleared.
Looking ahead at what the impact the guideline changes could have on a concussed player during the finals, locally considering the format of the top-five finals series for the Bendigo, Heathcote District and Loddon Valley leagues:
Week 1
Qualifying final (Sat)
Elimination final (Sun)
Week 2
2nd semi-final (Sat)
1st semi-final (Sun)
Week 3
Preliminary final (Sat)
Week 4
Grand final (Sat)
any player concussed after the qualifying final would be ruled out of the grand final.
The full details of the new community football guidelines will be released in the coming weeks ahead of community football seasons, but have been welcomed by AFL Central Victoria.
"The health and wellbeing of all our players remains a priority," AFLCV region manager Cameron Tomlins said on Thursday.
The health and wellbeing of all our players remains a priority
- AFLCV region manager Cameron Tomlins
"Concussion in contact sport remains a serious issue and as a region we will continue to lean on the governing body and medical experts in this field for appropriate education and resources for our clubs, such as the guidelines and return to play flow charts.
"And it's imperative that if there are any doubts or risks (related to concussion) that players are referred to medical experts."
The new concussion guidelines also insist on an individualised approach to return to play where factors such as a young age (eg. 18 years or younger), where there is a history of learning disorders or mood disturbance that may impact on monitoring of recovery, or a history of multiple concussions, may necessitate a more cautious and conservative approach.
The concussed player must have a medical assessment prior to being cleared to return to full contact training with the group and then a further medical assessment before being cleared to return to play.
