Is it a reportable offence or is concussion an unfortunate reality in a contact sport?

The Sam Lalor and Brandon Starcevich injuries can be argued either way.

Lalor was clearly out bodied and manoeuvred by West Coast defender Reuben Ginbey, who, in his attempt to protect the drop of the ball, and teammate Sandy Brock, removed the prized Pick 1 from the marking contest.

Unfortunately, Brock came into contact with the Tiger youngster, resulting in a fractured jaw and subsequent concussion, putting his Round 1 debut chances in jeopardy.

Breaking the contest down, Ginbey didn't do anything wrong. Brock didn't do anything wrong. And Lalor, as mentioned, dealt with a bad hand.

Reportable or unlucky?

The answer to this question has always meddled between the action and the outcome, which is the essence of infinite negativity directed at the MRO.

The adjudicators of said contentious contests have been pulled from pillar to post, swayed by the desire to "protect the head" whilst simultaneously tearing apart the fabric of the game.

As alluded to, Brock didn't do anything wrong. Nor did Ginbey. It was just unfortunate.

And as a result, the MRO didn't think to include it in its match review report, deeming the contest legal as the Eagles had no need to answer.

Essendon great Matthew Lloyd believed that the Ginbey contest was a "form of tunneling" and should be looked at for putting Lalor in a "vulnerable position", taking to X to reveal his point of view.

Fast forward a week and a similar collision graced our screens, with Starcevich the recipient of oncoming traffic.

Young Crow Dan Curtin applied a textbook bump to help shift the Lions defender from the marking contest, only to have been met by Luke Pedlar's elbow.

Starcevich has entered concussion protocols and has been ruled out of Thursday's Opening Round clash against Geelong.

Brisbane assistant coach Stuart Dew remained neutralised when quizzed about whether Curtain could face MRO scrutiny.

"I'm sure it will be looked at," Dew said.

"I don't think there's any malice in it. I think they're just trying to contest the ball and sometimes players are going to get it wrong.

"It's a contact sport and they'll (the AFL) will work out if it needs to get looked at."

Once again, the AFL has hit a crossroads after the pair of contests has ultimately divided the community.

The two-arm pin tackle caused uproar when players perfected the defensive effort, only to be found in hot water following the weekend's games.

Confusion reigned supreme when the AFL altered the interpretation of the holding the ball rule mid-season.

And despite the need to ensure player safety and well-being, especially in and around concussion, there's one thing the league powerbrokers shouldn't do: impulsively react.