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Geelong lost star defender Tom Stewart to a concussion in a horror start to their preliminary final against Hawthorn, reigniting debate around whether the pre-finals bye should be switched to the week before the grand final.
Stewart ran onto the Sherrin in the Cats’ defence inside the final three minutes of the opening quarter but was immediately beset upon by Mabior Chol, who pinned his arms and tackled him forcefully into the ground.
Tom Stewart is attended to by Geelong medical staff.Credit: AFL Photos
The 2022 premiership player’s head crunched into the MCG surface, and he also clutched at his left wrist, which he also wrenched as he went to ground.
Geelong subbed Stewart out of the contest minutes later, and the league’s concussion rules mean he will miss the grand final if the Cats advance.
The Hawks will also sweat on match review officer Michael Christian’s assessment of Chol’s tackle, with the AFL typically taking a dim view to players’ arms being pinned in a tackle because it leaves them vulnerable and unable to brace for contact.
If the AFL switched the pre-finals bye to a pre-grand final bye, players concussed in preliminary finals could go through concussion protocols and still have a chance to play in the grand final.
More to come
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