Opening Round of the 2025 AFL season is in the books. So, it's time to react ... or overreact.
Will Day send a statement to the competition about what his level could be in 2025, while we witnessed another injury as a result of an errant shove into a contest -- is it time to legislate against it?
So let's get to Opening Round overreactions, where we judge a few major takeaways as legitimate or irrational.
Will Day can win the Brownlow Medal this year
For the first half of Friday night's season-opener between the Hawks and Swans, Will Day was looking more like prime Marcus Bontempelli than a guy who was unable to get a guernsey on ESPN's 50 best players heading into the year. To the main break, Day had amassed 19 disposals, won five clearances, booted three goals, and was operating at a ludicrous 87% efficiency.
And while he faded in the second half due to the tag of James Jordan, Day's still highly likely to bag maximum Brownlow Medal votes. As a result of the performance, some are questioning whether he can actually win the award this year.
Verdict: OVERREACTION
Well, Day's lack of productivity when that tag was sent his way wasn't a great sign. He had just seven touches and exerted little influence on the game after the main break. It's quite clear Day's not going to be given the freedom to roam around unopposed all season, allowed to pick up Brownlow votes at will. Rather, he's going to have to earn them and learn to fight through the attention. That takes time.
We also know that to win the league's most decorated individual award, you generally need to have that breakout year beforehand. You know, the one in which the umpires start to notice you on the field. Day has polled 'just' 17 votes in his career, never cracking double figures for a single season. Last season, Patrick Cripps won the award with 45 votes!
Players need to face bans for pushing opposition players into contests
In Sunday's clash between GWS and Collingwood, Giants ruck Kieren Briggs was stretchered off the ground midway through the opening quarter after he sustained what looked to be a neck injury out of a marking contest.
Upon closer inspection, Magpies ruck Darcy Cameron seemed to force Briggs into contact with the oncoming pack, in what could be deemed tobe a reckless act that increases the risk of injury. Opinions were split as to whether Cameron should face scrutiny for the shove.
Kieren Briggs has been stretchered off the ground following this contest.#AFLGiantsPies pic.twitter.com/r2mS3R876c
— AFL (@AFL) March 9, 2025
Verdict: REAL
The reality is, players' heads need to be protected. And Briggs can do everything right in a contest, from his positioning to his timing, but if an opposition player comes in, aims to push him into a pack, and (in this instance) Briggs loses control on the situation and sustains a preventable head or neck injury, that's not good.
And while Cameron's push wasn't the most blatant or foreceful we've seen this year, a poor precedent was set by the AFL in preseason, when Eagle Reuben Ginbey was let off for shoving Richmond's No. 1 draft pick Sam Lalor into a contest. Lalor was attacking a marking contest at full pace, and was pushed from behind into an oncoming player, the ensuing collision leaving Lalor with concussion and a fractured jaw.
Like Ginbey, Cameron was cleared on Monday by the AFL.
If the AFL is content with turning a blind eye to these dangerous situations, players will continue to shove their opponents into contests to get an advantage. Nip it in the bud - we want to see fair contests of strength and skill without added danger to an already dangerous game.