SANFL Juniors Concussion Policy

Concussion occurs when, after a blow to the head, there is brain injury with some immediate disturbance of brain function. Any player showing the signs or symptoms of concussion should be removed from the field immediately and referred to a medical practitioner. A player who has suffered concussion with or without loss of consciousness should not participate in any match or training session until he/she is fully recovered and has been cleared by a thorough medical examination.

All players sustaining a concussion require a medical clearance before the resumption of training or playing.

Key Considerations

Any player who has suffered a concussion or is suspected of having a concussion must be medically assessed as soon as possible after the injury and must not be allowed to return to play in the same game or train in the same practice session.
A concussed player must not be allowed to return to training or playing before having a formal medical clearance. If in doubt, sit them out!
There should be a trained first aider at every game and the principles of first aid should be used when dealing with any player who is unconscious or injured.
The child is not to return to play or sport until they have successfully returned to school/learning, without worsening of symptoms. Symptom assessment in the child often requires the addition of parent and/or teacher input.
It is reasonable for a child to miss a day or two of school after concussion, but extended absence is uncommon.