[SteantyjetMaw]

It was a sickening sight today to see Jamie Graham suffer a horrific knee injury that could end his career. It sounds like he has ripped ligaments and his knee dislodged. It looked like his leg was dislocated. It happened when Toby McGrath kicked it too far and Graham had to run back to try and win the ball and a Subi player came in from the side or the opposite direction but he slid under Graham's legs and basically skittled his legs dragging one leg underneath the Subi players legs trapping Jamies left leg which resulted in serious damage to his knee.

It was much the same way Michael Barlow's leg got broken last year when Reece Palmer slid underneath Barlow who was standing. Jamie Graham was also standing so the question has to be asked, should sliding in legs first be considered a dangerous act and outlawed in the game?

I could see it coming and i was cringing even before the contact that caused the injury and I had a similar thought when Palmer slid in underneath Barlow last year. The damage that the total mass of a 75 - 90kg player can cause to the legs of a player who is standing while attempting to win the ball can be horrific.

I think this area of the game needs to be looked into. I'm not sure if this is a trend we are seeing in the game but i suspect it is a by product of having 4 interchange players and more congestion. I know we have had 4 interchange for a long time now but I think the trend has been to much higher rotations on and off the bench and that is why the AFL has reduced the number of interchange to 3 and 1 substitute. This rule seems to be popular with most critics and perhaps it needs to be implemented in the WAFL next year?

But apart from that I would like to see sliding into an opponents legs made illegal resulting in a free kick. This would make players stay on their feet and make it a truer contest of skill.

All the best to Jamie Graham, I hope to see him back if not this year then the next.