St Kilda defends Roberton handling

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St Kilda defender Dylan Roberton in action during Round 15. Picture: Getty Source: Paul Kane / Getty Images

ST KILDA has defended its handling of concussed defender Dylan Roberton during Saturday night's game against Port Adelaide.

Roberton, having been involved in a heavy collision with Port's Tom Jonas minutes before halftime, was assessed by the Saints' medical staff and cleared to return to the field.

But during a prearranged Channel 7 interview with Cameron Ling, as the players left the field for the long break, Roberton's issue became glaringly apparent as he bumbled his words and forgot his location.

Coach Scott Watters said after the Saints' five-point loss, the club's head trainer had assessed Roberton and cleared him to play.

But a St Kilda spokesman yesterday confirmed the trainer had acted in concert with two doctors on the bench and that the onset of Roberton's concussion had been delayed.

"They had planned to reassess him at halftime anyway, but when they saw how he was as he came off, it was obvious (he couldn't play on)," he said.

"It's probably unfortunate that interview had been organised because everyone could see it ... but we wouldn't have let him on like that."

SAINTS RESILIENT IN DEFEAT: WATTERS

Roberton was substituted at halftime and was continuing to be assessed yesterday.

An AFL spokesman refused to comment, saying only that it would be addressed in today's Round 17 debrief, where medical assessments would be taken into account.

The AFL has said it would take a hard line on concussion practices and made clear its intention with a $20,000 fine on North Melbourne for hindering its probe into Lachlan Hansen's Round 20 concussion last year.

Ling was lauded for recognising Roberton's issue during their brief interview.

The big Saint started answering his question before realising all was not right.

"Yeah, obviously they got a fair run at the start, so we just focused on trying to settle them down ... oh, I don't know where I am," Roberton said as he looked around Etihad Stadium.

Ling, sensing the Saint's battle, asked about the clash with Jonas before moving to wrap up the interview.

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