AFL operations boss Steve Hocking is confident there\u2019s \u201csafeguards\u201d in place to ensure clubs don\u2019t exploit the new medical substitute rule.<\/p>\n
A day before the season-opening clash between Richmond and Carlton, the AFL announced that a 23rd player would be available for clubs in the event of a game-ending injury or concussion.<\/p>\n
Hocking said the AFL would demand medical records if they suspect clubs have exploited the rule during, with stripping points or draft picks a possibility for any transgressions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s quite clearly some safeguards that\u2019s we\u2019ve put in place around (clubs not breaking the rules),\u201d he said on Sportsday.<\/p>\n
\u201cA player (being substituted for concussion) is a 12-day mandatory period out of the game and with (a non-concussion injury sub), when a doctor is applying decision making around an injury there\u2019s still thinking about whether they\u2019ve sustained a game-ending injury and whether they\u2019ll miss next week.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s always examples where players will recover differently to other players and we have a safeguard in place in terms of the chief medical officer (to look at that) and then if required, there\u2019s scans and further information that can be demanded by our chief medical officer.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe other safeguard is (a) conduct unbecoming (penalty) and if that happened in a grand final, we would be analysing that very quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a range of things that are in place under that conduct unbecoming (charge) which is everything from points (penalty), to fines and even (stripping) of draft picks.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the capture all and from our point of view, that\u2019s safeguarding against (exploiting) the rule.\u201d<\/p>\n
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