North hope ‘Big X’ is okay after high contactRoger VaughanAAPFri, 4 July 2025 3:04AM
The AFL’s concussion protocols are in the spotlight again after North Melbourne ruckman Tristan Xerri took several minutes to leave the field.
Xerri looked the worse for wear after high contact in the last quarter of Thursday night’s 49-point loss to the Western Bulldogs.
It appeared that a couple of opposition players checked on Xerri after the incident.
But he stayed on the ground for about 10 minutes before the ruckman went into the North rooms for assessment.
Xerri did not return before the final siren, with North later reporting that he had passed concussion tests and would be assessed again on Friday.
There was plenty of commentary about why Xerri stayed on the ground for so long before he was taken off for assessment.
“I think ‘Big X’ is okay,” North coach Alastair Clarkson said post-match.
Clarkson was then asked what had happened with Xerri.
“There’s probably two things that I’m not an expert on and that’s umpiring and concussion, so I probably won’t make mention of either one of them,” Clarkson said.
The AFL introduced the HIA (head injury assessment) removal process for this season, giving officials broader powers to take players off the ground if they suffer head knocks.
But controversies have persisted, with the AFL admitted its processes failed around Collingwood player Lachie Schultz being concussed in May during a match against Fremantle.
North star Luke Davies-Uniacke was also concussed early in Thurday’s match and was subbed out, dealing the Kangaroos a significant blow in their club centenary celebration match.
“We battled manfully for the whole game – as you probably noticed, we were a bit hamstrung with some sore players,” Clarkson said.
“We hung in there as best we could.”
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