AFL delivers bump warning

Deliver a hip and shoulder bump properly or face the consequences.

That was the message from the AFL to players on Friday as football operations manager Adrian Anderson outlined the changes to this year's list of reportable offences and tribunal penalties.

While Anderson said the hip and shoulder bump would remain part of the game, he said the AFL would no longer tolerate bumps which caused neck or head injuries to rival players.

The AFL announced a series of tribunal changes on Friday, mostly aimed at protecting players from contact to the head, neck and groin area.

Front-on bumps to a player when he has his head over the ball are now banned and will be subject to a report this season, with the punishments ranging from 125 points or a one-match suspension for a level one offence, up to 750 points or a seven-game ban for a level five offence when contact is severe.

And even those hip and shoulder bumps which are not delivered front-on to the head, but which cause injury to a player's head or neck, could be subject to a report of rough conduct this season unless the match review panel (MRP) rules that the player committing the bump did not have any other way of contesting the ball or tackling or shepherding his opponent in a reasonable manner.

Under this year's tribunal guidelines, both Western Bulldog Daniel Giansiracusa and Collingwood's Alan Didak would have had cases to answer for their much-publicised heavy bumps on St Kilda's Justin Koschitzke and Carlton's Heath Scotland respectively last year. Those incidents resulted in both players being carried from the field, with Koschitzke suffering a fractured skull following an accidental clash of heads with Giansiracusa.

Anderson said players could no longer claim they executed a bump in a legitimate manner if they merely have their arms tucked in at the point of contact. The contact must not endanger an opposition player's head or neck.

"It's still fine to execute a legitimate hip and shoulder bump, that is here to stay as part of the game," he said. "But if a player suffers an injury to the head or neck from a bump and you had other options then you will be held responsible."

The penalties for a front-on bump to the head in particular will be severe, with such incidents to be given the equal-highest grading along with kicking.

But even bumps delivered in the traditional side-on manner, such as the Giansiracusa-Koschitzke clash, could also result in a player being suspended if the opposing player suffers a head or neck injury - even if the player suffers a head or neck injury as a result of his head hitting the ground after the contact.

In determining whether a player in those circumstances should be reported, the MRP will consider:

* whether the degree of force applied by the person bumping was excessive;

* whether the player being bumped was actively involved in the passage of play;

* the distance the player applying the bump ran to make contact;

* whether the player being bumped was in a position to protect himself;

* whether an elbow was part of the contact;

* whether the player bumping jumps or leaves the ground to bump.

Anderson said if the new rules saved even one player at any level of football from serious head or neck injuries they were worthwhile.

"There is still nothing wrong with a good hip and shoulder but the onus is on the player to do so legitimately," he said.

"No one wants to see players suffer head, neck and facial injuries that could have been avoided."

The AFL has also increased the points tally for rough conduct and charging offences, with a level one offence to now attract 125 points and a level five offence 550 points, while front-on bumps to the head, above level one offences, will attract stiffer punishments.

Other tribunal changes announced on Friday will see any contact to a player's groin met with stiffer punishments, with such cases to now carry the same points tally as contact to the head.

This change comes after Hawthorn vice-captain Sam Mitchell was twice struck in the groin by opposition players last season.

The minimum points for a level one offence has also been increased from 75 points to 80 to ensure a player cannot avoid a suspension for two level one offences in the one year unless he has a five-year clean record.

And all charges of attempting to strike, kick or trip will no longer be subject to a suspension (unless the player also has a prior record) with all such offences to be given 80 points after St Kilda's Steven Baker was controversially suspended for attempting to strike last season.