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The douglas bump was fine. How is it different from the dangerfield-murphy bump at etihad years ago? Douglas protected himself. In saying that he will be suspended which is pretty sad.
Opinion Douglas Bump - Fair or not? Leadership or silly act?
- Thread starter John Who
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Under the definition of the laws, he should be free to play. He got him just under the shoulder which lifted his shoulder up as the head jarred into it. The head didn't even hit the ground. I think the player at fault is Merrett. He chose to not protect himself. Its not like he couldn't see Douglas coming at him. I think anyone on the MRP could easily determine that it was Merretts own shoulder that did the damage. The reason he got reported for Rough Conduct is purely a Get Out of Jail free card for the AFL in circumstances like this where the AFL can ban someone when technically the player didn't breach any rules but someone got hurt due to their actions. But in high bump cases where players get them in the head and they are only getting 2-4 matches its clear a precedent has been set and since Dougy didn't technically get him in the head i wouldn't be surprised if he is reprimanded or fined.
Ramify
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Who cares. It obviously wasnt from direct contact with Douglass bumping shoulder unless Douglas has turned into that rubber guy fro the Fantastic 4.
Ramify
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And playing the G.F at your home ground is no advantage either.
Yeah I don't think the player at fault was Merrett, but the bump certainly connected in the side under the shoulder as you have pointed out. the resultt is that Merrett ended up bleeding and didn't resume. Douggy's gaaaaaaaawn I tells ya.
SugarShane
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Gets off under the "Talk s**t, get hit" rule.
Squiba
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Personally, he didn't get him high, so it should be alright, maybe a fine at worst considering he over ran the ball to hit him.
But, he may just get a week, purely due to the concussion it caused, coupled with going past the ball.
That kind of thing I wouldn't mind seeing in the game, the only problem is that he went straight past the ball to do it. Would rather him grab the ball and crash into Merret with ball in hand
But, he may just get a week, purely due to the concussion it caused, coupled with going past the ball.
That kind of thing I wouldn't mind seeing in the game, the only problem is that he went straight past the ball to do it. Would rather him grab the ball and crash into Merret with ball in hand
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We've all see the bump. It happened in the early part of the game, where Douglas did a hip-and-shoulder to Zach Merett. If you had missed it, then the commentators kept talking about it for the next 10-15 minutes after the incident, to ensure you could not have ignored it whilst watching on TV.
Doing a poll on this to see where we stand as a collective.
I would like to add some thoughts on this matter, and trying to put on my impartial hat:
- personally, I think it was a fair hip-and-shoulder, and I commend Douglas for showing the boys how to play some mongrel footy. Whether he gets rubbed out for a game or two, the act itself will hopefully stir the boys up for the coming matches.
- It looked like Douglas rubbed shoulder to shoulder with Merrett, and I don't believe there was actual head contact with Douglas' body.
- what I believe had happened to Merrett was actually him having a shoulder bump, with the force of the knock causing his neck and head to jolt suddenly, causing a whiplash effect. Merrett's head might also possibly knock against his own shoulder from the heavy impact.
- it would be interesting to know if he had actually failed the concussion test or not, because from what I had seen of the incident, he got up gingerly, but he looked like he could have carried on playing the remainder of the match. If anything, it looked like his shoulder was jarred or perhaps a dislocation had occurred. So a shoulder injury might have actually been more of the concern than the concussion itself.
- I do hope the AFL queried this further, whether Essendon claiming Merrett was ruled out of the game entirely from the concussion effect, or whether it was more prevention of worsening of the shoulder injury, or maybe both.
Be interesting to hear some more thoughts!
I’ve already posted this somewhere else.
“Pretty sure one of the Essendon officials when interviewed after the game said he didn’t fail the concussion test, in fact he said he didn’t do the test, but they pulled him just to be safe. Probably because he’s had a recent concussion.”
But it could have been his shoulder or something else. Would have bit his lip from impact or hitting the dirt.
Look at the other angle to your picture their daylight between arm and head.
- Aug 7, 2015
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Looking at a C7 replay of the bump (in a repeat loop), Merrett's head didn't bump his own shoulder at all (and no head contact from Dougy, thought about posting a sequence of pixes of the bump but can't be bothered) - Merrett looked like he had pretty firm neck muscles during the bump.
What looked like happened is Dougy's bump caused Merrett's head to slightly flick away from Dougy's direction, then flick back as a recoil.
This sudden back-n-forth flicking of the head could cause concussion (even though it did not look very intense in this case) and as Misty posted ...
may be why it was wise as a precaution.
- Jul 19, 2010
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No matter whether you think he’ll be suspended under the new world order on bumps, you do have to stop and reflect on the sad state affairs the game is now.
That bump was about as textbook as a footy bump can get. It wasn’t one of those ugly Byron Pickett shirtfronts of the bad old days where the sole intention was to give the football a wide berth and have a bloke carried off on a stretcher. He got in low, turned to protect himself, bumped him in the side (head contact was completely incidental) and stopped him from taking possession. That is what football is all about.
But now, you have to allow a bloke to take posssession, and then tackle him. As long as it’s not a “dangerous,” tackle, of course. Cos you’ll get reported for that too.
What are we actually watching? Does anybody know? I’m not sure what it is, but it aint Australian Rules.
That bump was about as textbook as a footy bump can get. It wasn’t one of those ugly Byron Pickett shirtfronts of the bad old days where the sole intention was to give the football a wide berth and have a bloke carried off on a stretcher. He got in low, turned to protect himself, bumped him in the side (head contact was completely incidental) and stopped him from taking possession. That is what football is all about.
But now, you have to allow a bloke to take posssession, and then tackle him. As long as it’s not a “dangerous,” tackle, of course. Cos you’ll get reported for that too.
What are we actually watching? Does anybody know? I’m not sure what it is, but it aint Australian Rules.
Captain Morgan
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- Feb 3, 2015
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If the concussion was a secondary effect from the bump (due whiplash or whatever) then there is nothing to be suspended for.
It becomes a situation no different to a player hurting a knee when coming down for a pack mark or having their knee twisted during a tackle. Secondary consequences from playing the game.
It becomes a situation no different to a player hurting a knee when coming down for a pack mark or having their knee twisted during a tackle. Secondary consequences from playing the game.
- Aug 7, 2015
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There was no head contact.
dogs105
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He does have a shoulder in between? Or does Merrett only have one arm? Has done well to become a league footballer.
Waspy79
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These defences didn’t help Jonas on Roberton or Hartlett against the Eagles. Both got banned for bumps that caused concussions and neither bump was high. It came down to duty of care and having options like contesting the ball (or running away).
FruitTingles
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3 concussions in a short period is bad news for Merrett. He should really be taking some time off.
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Excellent bump, perfectly done.
The fact Essendon supporters on here need to get some bodgy freeze frame that requires a microscope to detect anything head high says it all. No ill-intent, Got him right on the shoulder. Pretty clear the impact whipped his head rather than Douglas knocking his head.
Had Douglas really got him in the head as people are suggesting at the pace of that collision, Merrett would have been out cold.
Won't matter. He was ruled as concussed as a result and that's all that matters - whether it came from a collusion with the head or as a result of a legitimate bump is irrelevant. 2 weeks.
He could try to change his name to Cotchin. That might help.
The fact Essendon supporters on here need to get some bodgy freeze frame that requires a microscope to detect anything head high says it all. No ill-intent, Got him right on the shoulder. Pretty clear the impact whipped his head rather than Douglas knocking his head.
Had Douglas really got him in the head as people are suggesting at the pace of that collision, Merrett would have been out cold.
Won't matter. He was ruled as concussed as a result and that's all that matters - whether it came from a collusion with the head or as a result of a legitimate bump is irrelevant. 2 weeks.
He could try to change his name to Cotchin. That might help.
- Jul 19, 2010
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Duty of care. Lol. How the * did that phrase ever enter the lexicon of a professional, full contact sport, with rules in place that already stipulate what legal contact is.
A pro athlete should never be contesting a ball worrying about “duty of care.” Rules about physical contact should be clear, in black and white, and not clouded with fairy floss terminology taken straight out of a corporate HR department that requires an athlete to do a mathematical equation every time he engages in a physical contest.
We’re not far off having to care about an opponent’s feelings too. That’s just around the corner, folks.
A pro athlete should never be contesting a ball worrying about “duty of care.” Rules about physical contact should be clear, in black and white, and not clouded with fairy floss terminology taken straight out of a corporate HR department that requires an athlete to do a mathematical equation every time he engages in a physical contest.
We’re not far off having to care about an opponent’s feelings too. That’s just around the corner, folks.
I think he’ll go and that’s why I get less and less enamoured with AFL football.
FruitTingles
Senior List
I think he will be suspended. So early on in the season they will want to set a precedent...and then change it again in round 7 for a seemingly similar incident.
