CRACKING DOWN ON THE BUMP

COLLINGWOOD captain Scott Pendlebury says he would back harsher penalties for dangerous bumps this year to help reduce concussions and sub-concussions.

The league has reduced its penalties for rough conduct since its hard-line crackdown earlier this decade, with lowlevel rough conduct penalties now drawing only a $2000 fine instead of a 125-point sanction and one-week suspension before a guilty plea.

It means players like Collingwood’s Taylor Adams can bump Richmond’s Nick Vlastuin high and receive only fines if their opponent is not concussed.

Pendlebury told News Corp yesterday that while he wants the best players on the park and not suspended, he also wants to protect player welfare.

It is why he would support the league considering a crackdown ahead of the season given the precedent of the Marsh Community Series.

“As the concussion issue becomes bigger and you are a bit more aware of it, you realise the little bumps you don't think are affecting you actually can,” he said.

“I feel like (those bumps) were almost out of the game and it’s come back a little bit.

“We want good players playing but you always want people to live their life to a full capacity.

I would like to see (a crackdown). If you want to bump and accidentally or intentionally hit them in the head maybe we do need a stronger stance.”

Pendlebury says it might see more players suspended but believes they would quickly acclimatise.

He argues the league should penalise a player for his intent to bump high rather than only if he concusses a rival.

“I think as long as it comes in and it’s consistent across the whole league there is no problem with that,” he said.

“The issue is when there is a grey area or we worry about impact.

“No one knows the extent of the brain injury and how hard the hit is, so how you can judge impact is a different kettle of fish. If you are going in regardless if you get them or not, if we really believe it shouldn’t be in the game then get it out.”

Pendlebury said star midfielder Taylor Adams was a certainty for Round 1 despite being taken off the ground by medicos when landing awkwardly in the club’s final hitout.

“He wanted to go back on and then the docs just said due to the action they didn’t want to risk him hurting himself. He wanted to play, the doc said no. In the Marsh Series the doctors win. We will train this week and he should be fine.”