AFL General Manager Football Operations Steve Hocking today said the Carlton Football Club had received a suspended sanction of $20,000 in relation to the assessment and management of player Cam Polson during last week’s round 14 match against Collingwood at the MCG.

Polson suffered a head knock during the first quarter, and the AFL had sought an explanation as to the circumstances why the player had not been permanently removed from the ground, as per the AFL’s concussion guidelines.

After receiving a written explanation from the club, speaking to club staff and examining match day vision, it was the AFL view Carlton had breached AFL Regulations, with the $20,000 suspended sanction to be in place until the end of the 2020 season.
Mr Hocking said the AFL had determined the club had breached AFL Regulations on on the basis:
The Carlton FC Medical Officer failed to note/misinterpreted the video signs of concussion contained in the AFL Match Head Injury Assessment Form.
The Carlton FC Medical Officer failed to permanently remove player Polson for the remainder of the match as directed by the AFL Match Head Injury Assessment Form.

Mr Hocking said in determining a suspended sanction, he took into account that:

Based on the club medical officer’s interpretation of the video, the correct protocol was followed.
The player was monitored upon his return to the game and re-assessed at regular intervals.
The incident occurred at a time where the other club medical officer was managing another player injury in the change rooms.
The club’s assertion that the video on the interchange bench tablet was ‘significantly’ less clear than the video provided to the club for further review of the incident.
The fact that player Polson was not honest in reporting ‘feeling off’ at the time of the incident.

The club was formally notified in writing late today of the AFL’s decision.