AFL Addresses Criticism Over Umpires’ Failure to Halt Play for Concussed Lachie Schultz

The AFL has stated that the umpires who allowed play to continue while Collingwood forward Lachie Schultz lay concussed on the turf at Optus Stadium on Thursday night were unaware of his injury.

Schultz was left nearly motionless in the centre square after sustaining a concussion during a tackle on Fremantle defender Jordan Clark, while play continued for approximately 15 seconds.

It was only after Nick Daicos passed the ball inside 50 to Jamie Elliott that Schultz was able to receive medical attention.

Shortly after, he was seen jogging off the field, albeit unsteadily, with the support of Collingwood’s medical team.

High-profile critics of the umpires included Collingwood captain Darcy Moore, Magpies coach Craig McRae, and former Fremantle general manager Peter Bell.

The AFL provided clarification on Friday afternoon, noting that “the umpires are instructed to halt play as soon as they become aware of an injured player in the vicinity.”

The AFL added that during last night’s match, the umpires did not notice the injured player, leading to the continuation of play. “Had the umpires been aware, they would have stopped play when Daicos had the ball in the midfield.”

Footage from the broadcast displayed Schultz smiling and engaging with his teammates in the dressing rooms after the game.

Moore, who serves as both Collingwood’s captain and the president of the AFL Players’ Association, described Schultz’s condition at the time of the incident as concerning. “He looked quite disoriented and we were genuinely worried about the severity of his injury,” Moore remarked during an interview with Fox Footy. “There were players from both teams who felt the game should have been stopped for at least 20 seconds to allow staff to assist him off the field.”

“He was positioned right in front of me; I could see how challenging it was for him to walk. It just didn’t sit well knowing that we were still playing while he was in that state.”

McRae, observing from the boundary, expressed his worry. “We’re all incredibly concerned for his well-being. We called for a stretcher, and our medical staff did their utmost to ensure Lachie was alright,” remarked the Magpies coach. “Ideally, the game should have been stopped.”

“My primary concern is for Lachie; his safety comes first. We aim to protect our players, and seeing any of them on the ground like that is distressing. I wish we could change that. Having played the game myself, I’ve experienced concussions and I know how disorientating they can be. This is an aspect of our sport we’d prefer to eliminate. Many players in the past have had to deal with this, and we are striving to implement changes to enhance safety for our players.”

Peter Bell also shared his perspective on ABC Radio. “Once we saw medical staff attending to Lachie, there should have been a stoppage in play, without a doubt,” he stated.

Collingwood triumphed over Fremantle with a final score of 15.7 (97) to 12.11 (83).