The High Price of Contact in Women's Football The latest suspension in women's Australian Rules football, that of Port Adelaide's Ella Heads for three games, raises questions about the culture of contact and player safety in the sport.
Heads was banned after a high bump resulted in Melbourne star Eliza McNamara suffering a broken jaw. Some argue that such incidents are an inevitable part of any full contact sport.
However, the severity of this particular injury and its frequency cannot be ignored. Player safety is often cited as one of the key concerns for women's sports in general – and AFLW in particular.