Bell: The change the AFL should implement for future Origin games

AFL Origin enjoyed a highly successful return, but as Peter Bell explains, one major change should be implemented if the format is to continue.

Despite much speculation, both Victorian and West Australian competitors bought in entirely, competing hard from start to finish as the Vics held onto a 24-point win at Optus Stadium.

However, as expected in a fully-fledged pre-season hit out, the contest wasn’t without its injury concerns.

Carlton’s Jacob Weitering has headlined the washup, suffering a major collision in the first term that saw him taken to hospital with shoulder and rib injuries.

Alongside Weitering, Mitch Georgiades and Sam Taylor were both withdrawn due to hamstring awareness in and around the half time break, while Callum Ah Chee (hamstring) and Matt Rowell (finger) were also withdrawn over the final stages of the game.

Given the nature of the contest, injuries are to be expected – it’s part and parcel of AFL football, as has occurred all throughout pre-season.

However, the former All-Australian and Premiership player has suggested that if the contest is to continue at this time of year, the AFL should consider shortening the length of the game.

“There will be some discussion around the number of injuries that appear to have come out of the match,” Bell told AFL Nation.

“Of course, there was the nasty incident early in the match, and hopefully Jacob Weitering is okay, but it looks like a few hamstring awareness issues as well.

“It’s easy with the benefit of hindsight, and you don’t want to threaten the integrity of the match because we got a genuine contest.

“But maybe at this time of year, with the heat, maybe it doesn’t need to be that long. In all seriousness, with the players putting themselves at risk, maybe we could have a slightly shorter match.

“We ask a lot of the players.”

The game consisted of four quarters timed at 25 minutes, with the first 23 minutes allowing time on for goals and injuries, and the final two minutes allowing time on for goals, injuries and stoppages.

Due to Weitering’s injury, the first term took a total of 43 minutes to complete, with the players halted for a significant amount of time as doctors stretchered the injured Blue off the ground.

“It was a lot to ask, physically, of the players, and by the end they were out of their feet,” SEN’s Gerard Whateley added.

Bell: “Genuinely, in that last five minutes of the match, it was heart in mouth around, we don’t want another (injury) here when the game looks beyond doubt.

“We’ll see what the fallout is – hopefully there are some that are just precautions, but there will be a washup from an injury perspective.”

Jacob Weitering has thankfully avoided serious injury, however, it is still expected that he will miss a period of football.