Doubts over Shiel’s KO favour Cotchin
A GWS medical report which cannot state when Dylan Shiel was concussed could save the AFL grand final hopes of Tigers star Trent Cotchin.
The Richmond captain will have his fate decided at a 9am meeting of the match review panel after his high hit on GWS star Shiel.
A suspension for the inspirational leader, who has starred in the Tigers’ two finals wins this year, would be a devastating twist to their fairytale surge.
But in a lifeline for his case, GWS doctors could not decide which of two first-quarter incidents concussed Shiel in the preliminary final on Saturday.
Shiel played on for another 10 minutes then was hit by Richmond’s David Astbury just seconds before the quarter-time break. That’s where his game ended.
The MRP could still decide the hit is of sufficient force to see Cotchin suspended for a week for a medium-impact, careless hit.
But the uncertainty will help his case if the GWS doctors cannot directly attribute
his hit to the concussion Shiel suffered.
It is understood the MRP considered meeting yesterday to decide Cotchin’s fate but two of the four panel members had prior commitments.
Richmond would be certain to fight any suspension at a Tuesday tribunal case, then potentially a Thursday appeal in what could be a distracting week-long circus.
The most important consideration from the incident is whether Cotchin made a genuine attempt at winning the ball rather than taking out Shiel.
If they judge the ball was his only focus, Shiel’s concussion is irrelevant to the MRP members Michael Christian, Nathan Burke, Jason Johnson and Michael Jamison.
Of particular concern to the review panel will be Cotchin’s decision to dip his shoulder into Shiel rather than reach for the ball.
Sports medico Peter Larkins said yesterday Cotchin might benefit from shades of grey in the GWS medical report.
“They were monitoring him after the Cotchin incident but he stayed on the ground and was favouring his chronic right shoulder injury,’’ he told.
“He was definitely hit in the head but if the medical report says they were happy he wasn’t developing signs of concussion until the second incident, it becomes more important.
“If that is right, then Cotchin is much better off.”