Wangaratta's Matt Kelly misses Albury game through concussion protocols

The AFL and AFLW introduced a mandatory 12-day concussion protocol this season with updated guidelines for all levels of Australian football released last week.

There's now a clear process to follow which includes a period of rest and medical clearance prior to full-contact training.

Kelly suffered a head knock against Corowa-Rutherglen on April 24 and was therefore forced to miss last Saturday's away clash against Albury.

"It was a concussion, I got a knock last week and it was precautionary really," he offered after watching his Pies fall to the Tigers at Albury Sportsground.

"I've had a couple of headaches this week and I also work behind a computer, so that's a bit of a no-no around concussion."

Wangaratta is home to North Albury on Saturday, so Kelly will be eligible as he falls outside the 12-day 'no play' period, but he will naturally need that medical clearance.

Kelly was one of three players ruled out, along with Jessie Smith (ill) and Ben Reid (rolled ankle).

"You never want to leave your best players out of the side, but we took the long-term approach, I'm serious when I say that Ben could have played today," coach Dean Stone revealed.

Reid suffered the injury in the first minute of the third term against Wangaratta Rovers on April 18.

Albury's ball movement was generally brilliant and even moreso when it was played as a twilight match.

"They were able to score goals, at times, quite easily and we had to work our backsides off to score," Stone suggested.

Interestingly, the Pies clash against North will be just its second day game.

"Four of our first five games are under lights, I don't know what we did to the fixtures bloke, we copped the rough end of the stick," Stone explained.

The league has had more twilight and night games over the first six weekends than previous years and while the much anticipated Tigers-Pies attracted a solid crowd, and was blessed with almost perfect and unique conditions for early May, the game attracted criticism on social media over the difficulty in recognising players across the other side.

"The Board will access feedback we've received from clubs and supporters in the coming weeks before making a determination on what future fixturing will look like," O and M chairperson David Sinclair suggested.

"It's evident that as far as suitable weather goes, the window closes by about mid-April."

There's no more night games planned and the rounds return to the traditional Saturday afternoon, although Wangaratta-Wangaratta Rovers stay at their regular Sunday timeslot on July 4.

Despite the loss, the Pies remain second, while Albury has a three-game break.

Defender Jessy Wilson was again superb and also dismissed a theory he was a basketballer-turned-footballer.

"I played both all through juniors and then got to 19 where I gave basketball the flick because I was enjoying my footy more," he said.

"My kicking technique came from that fact I was never taught to kick."

Wilson isn't a classical left-footer, but he's efficient and improving rapidly in other areas.

"I've been able to get a bit more strength coming up against those bigger bodies," he said.

"I've worked on reading the ball better and sitting off and marking the footy better across the half-back line and making sure I hit my targets and not turn the ball over."

After seven premierships in 10 successive grand finals, the Tigers fell out in straight sets in 2019.

"Probably the improvement of guys like Brayden O'Hara and Shaun Daly was going to be limited (due to age)," co-coach Anthony Miles suggested.

"For us to potentially take the next step it was the Wilsons, the Conlans, the Bices, O'Briens, all those guys have had fantastic starts to the year.

"Jessy's really unique, he can play tall or small and is really tough as well.

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"He defends first and attacks second and he's a Howlong boy (like Miles), so I've got a soft spot for him."

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