AFL full of hypocrisy and mixed messages on concussion A Set the default text size A Set large text size Replay A Set the default text size A Set large text size The AFL is in over their head when it comes to how to handle the issue of high contact and concussion. Steven Hocking, the head of football operations, has thus far proven inept at finding and communicating a clear path through an infinitely complex subject matter. Mixed messages from AFL House are nothing new, and it is normally never more apparent than when dealing with decisions made by the Match Review Officer, formerly the Match Review Panel. Since the long-term effects of concussion have reared their ugly head in recent years, the decision-making process has become cloudier still.