The traditional 'badge of honour' in Australian Rules Football - playing on after a head knock - is officially dead after the AFL introduced a mandatory minimum 21-day stand down for concussion at community level.
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However, in a move which is guaranteed to frustrate the 'bush' football fraternity, the AFL and AFLW will maintain a minimum 12-day period, due to "advanced care settings for players suffering a concussion".
Wednesday, March 6, was an historic day for the sport after the AFL directed all competitions, under the elite level, to adopt the new protocols.
"In a landmark decision, all other Australian Football competitions at all ages (i.e. adult/open competitions and all junior competitions), will adopt a mandatory minimum 21-day return to play protocol. This new protocol will apply for State Football competitions (including the VFL and VFLW), elite pathway competitions (including the Coates Talent Leagues for boys and girls) and all community football competitions," the AFL statement read.
"Under the new community football guidelines, the earliest that a player suffering a concussion can return to play is on the 21st day post the concussion incident provided they get medical clearance.
"The new community football guidelines and the elite football guidelines are in-step with the recent Australian Institute of Sport's Concussion and Brain Health Position Statement regarding return to play protocols post-concussion.
"The full details of the new community football guidelines will be released in the coming weeks ahead of the community football seasons.
"The concussion guidelines for elite and community football are reviewed on an annual basis."
The highest profile and most respected medical 'voice' in the sport agrees with the longer layoff.
"The AFL decision just reflects the increasing awareness that concussion takes a variable amount of time, particularly in young players of all sports and people are not getting the professional care that, say, an AFL player would get because they're not getting the rehabilitation or day-to-day checking an AFL player would get," Dr Peter Larkins said.
Former Lavington footballer Mitch Palmer, who suffered around 20 concussions and quit after receiving a head knock in the 2015 grand final, although he later came out of retirement in 2022, was delighted.
"Twenty-one days is a great idea, I'm happy with that, you're not much good after seven days, it's like living in a fog for that time, you're sort of OK after 14 days, but you're right by 21," he offered.
It means, in the Ovens and Murray Football League, for example, this year's qualifying final will be held on Saturday, August 31.
If a player was concussed and his team made the grand final on Sunday, September 22, therefore 22 days later, he would be eligible to play, providing he has a medical certificate which clears him.
However, if a player is concussed in either of the semis, for example, they would miss the grand final.
It opens the real possibility of players trying to to 'hide' a concussion with a potential premiership on the line.
But Dr Larkins has urged players to forget the 'badge of honour' mentality for head knocks, which has been a part of the game since its inception in the late 1850s.
"The players have to be honest and have to take responsibility, there's a lot of life left after they stop playing footy," he explained.
"A player might say, 'I'm not going to tell anybody' (I have concussion) and that's a risk that shouldn't be taken for a number of reasons, including the recent litigation about long-term problems from multiple brain hits, we're talking litigation for problems related to memory and dementia, so people are flirting with danger to not be honest."
Coincidentally, it's almost 12 months since a landmark class action was lodged in the Supreme Court of Victoria, alleging long-term concussion damage to more than 60 former players. The lead plaintiff was dual Geelong premiership player Max Rooke.
Border physiotherapist Michael Bowler, who has been a driving force in implementing best practice concussion management, isn't surprised by the AFL's 'game-changing' decision.
"Recent evidence shows that when people are concussed, they often feel like they are back, really even within a couple of days, but we certainly know there's metabolic imbalances in the brain and body that certainly doesn't recover for 21 to 28 days," he suggested.
Bowler is also adamant the AFL must fall in line with community football and adopt the three-week stand down, rather than 12 days.
"They are the leaders in this space and people will mirror what they do and they always have, if the AFL really want to lead, they need to go to 21 days," he added.
And Bowler has received support from the playing group.
"It's good they are taking concussion seriously, but why are AFL players missing 12 days and everyone else 21?," Wangaratta captain Daine Porter asked.
"It also should be case by case basis. If a player gets a minor knock in a final, I would hate to see them miss the rest of the finals series. It may cause some players to hide any concussion symptoms."
Another O and M stalwart, who also started his senior career more than 20 years ago when the game was less scrutinised, is also happy with the latest concussion crackdown.
"You have to follow the rules and guidelines that are put in front of us," Albury co-coach Shaun Daly said.
"Every club will need to ensure they have the best available trainers and physios to assess the players on game day and during the week as we always have."
The O and M supported the AFL release.
"The OMFNL, in alignment with all other community competitions, has received the recent media release from the AFL regarding the update of their concussion guidelines, based on the recent AIS recommendations. With respect to this update landing on the doorstep of a new season, we will support club efforts to be as informed as possible of the updated guidelines, to adapt their individual match day concussion management plans accordingly."
There's a popular adage in football which compares a typical three-week layoff for a hamstring injury with the 21-day stand down for concussion, but Bowler believes players must continue to change their approach to concussion.
"If I get your hamstring wrong and I get you back too early, you know what, you might tear your hamstring, but if I get your brain wrong, it can be life-changing."
