A gruesome injury to North Melbourne forward Jack Darling on the weekend has forced the AFL to take action over the studs on players’ boots.
Darling suffered a large gash on his shin from the boots of Carlton’s Jack Silvagni during the first quarter of Saturday’s match at the MCG.
The veteran managed to play out the match, but was taken to hospital afterwards to have the wound stitched up.
Journalist Caroline Wilson has revealed that the AFL sent clubs an urgent message about the studs on footy boots, warning they could be fined $40,000 if metal ones are used by their players.
‘This is a timely reminder regarding the type of football boots which may be worn in AFL matches, specifically the prohibition of metal stops, which pose a serious risk of injury to players,’ the memo said.
‘To prioritise player safety, the AFL strictly enforces regulations that prohibit the use of metal stops or studs on football boots.
An injury to North Melbourne forward Jack Darling (pictured) on the weekend has reignited concerns around the studs on AFL players’ boots
Darling (pictured with his daughter) suffered a large gash on his shin from the boots of Carlton’s Jack Silvagni during Saturday’s match at the MCG. He was later stitched up in hospital
‘As such, it is the responsibility of all AFL clubs and players to ensure that boots worn during matches fully comply with these rules.
‘Under AFL regulations 4.8, clubs may be sanctioned up to $40,000 per breach.’
Wilson reported that coaches are noticing an alarming increase in stud injuries.
‘According to many coaches and footy bosses I’ve spoken to today, these boots, often the studs are really sharp and dangerous,’ she revealed on The Agenda Setters.
‘The coaches say this is happening more and more, horrible injuries from boots.’
Silvagni wasn’t wearing illegal studs over the weekend, but commentator Dale Thomas believes plastic blade-style boots can be just as dangerous or worse.
‘The plastic, blade style, they become more sharp than the metal,’ he said.
‘It’s a longer blade along the boot, rather than just a stud, it’s almost making it worse.’
The Kangaroos claimed an 11-point win over Carlton at the MCG on Saturday afternoon
Meanwhile, Michael Voss has deflected questions over his coaching future after Carlton fans booed the Blues off the MCG following a stunning 11-point defeat to North Melbourne.
Just 64 days after smashing North by 82 points on Good Friday, the Blues went goalless from midway through the first quarter until 10 minutes into the third term on Saturday.
During that period, the Kangaroos produced some of their best football in Alastair Clarkson’s three-year tenure to set up the 13.6 (84) to 10.13 (73) victory in front of 56,236 fans.
Voss gave a stern three-quarter-time address to his under-performing midfield group when they trailed by 46 points.
The spray from the coach worked as the Blues kicked 5.5 to 0.0 in the final quarter, but it was too late for Carlton.
Trailing by nine points at quarter-time, the Kangaroos surged in the second term with 6.2 to 0.1, prompting sections of the pro-Carlton crowd to boo their team off at halftime.
Fans again jeered the team at three-quarter time, and again coming from the field post-match.
‘It’s not time to isolate, it’s time to come together,’ Voss said of the booing.
‘We love coming to the ground and having the supporter base we have and the passion that our supporters have, but we share in their disappointment.’
Voss’s animated huddle spray looked targeted at the midfield group, but he insisted it was to the whole team.
‘That’s not acceptable the way that we played through that period of time … it just didn’t sit with the mids,’ he said.
‘North Melbourne were much too good around the contest for us.
‘I felt like for a middle patch there, they probably bullied us.’
