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The rise in concussions is attributed,in part,to improved diagnosis of head knocks and a more vigilant culture,according to the league.

Melbourne fans wear helmets for Angus Brayshaw,who retired earlier this year due to the impact of concussion.Credit:AFL Photos

But the high number of concussions in marking contests is likely to prompt questions within the AFL,from current and ex-players and clubs,about whether there are ways to reduce those head knocks without sacrificing the unique attraction of high marking.

The data also showed that concussions from tackling – such as sling tackles and tackles in which the player is driven into the ground – declined from 18 in 2022 to 10 last year,a measure of how players have adapted to new rules that take a harder line on dangerous tackles.

But the number of concussions from bumps increased,despite the vigilance in this area,according to the year-on-year figures for 2022 and 2023 that were shown in the presentation.

The high portion of concussions in marking contests prompted ex-Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd to say that superstar forwards Jonathan Brown and Wayne Carey would be discouraged from launching to mark running with the flight of the ball,in today’s environment.

“They would be told not to do that now,” said Lloyd,who also said Essendon’s Peter Wright would have been better to “pull out” of his contest at the SCG that concussed Swan Harry Cunningham. Wright received a four-match ban for the aerial collision.

Few of the incidents in which players are concussed in marking contests involve actions that are deemed reportable by the AFL.

Lloyd agreed with the view that there had been a greater focus on players protecting themselves and others in ground balls,but that there was much less focus on how they approached marking contests,in terms of coaching them to avoid injury.

Sam Taylor on the ground after his collision.Credit:Getty Images

Giants star Sam Taylor suffered a concussion that saw him knocked unconscious in a marking contest in Canberra on Saturday,whileCollingwood’s Nathan Murphy – one of the bravest players in the air – retired from the game on Tuesday. Murphy was concussed in his final game for the Magpies,last year’s grand final,although that grand final head blow was at ground level.

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