GEELONG defender Zach Tuohy has suggested a simple solution the AFL should consider to maintain player safety after he and teammate Mark Blicavs suffered significant cuts to their hands when colliding with the LED fence signage at Perth's Optus Stadium last Sunday.
Tuohy needed three stitches in his right hand and Blicavs required 14 in total – nine in his left hand and five in his right elbow – when the pair stretched out their hands to protect themselves from careering into the fence.
The Irishman said the League and the various grounds across Australia should consider placing plastic Perspex over the top of LED fence signage to avoid further injuries to players in the future.
"It's an easy fix. Just put some kind of plastic Perspex over the front of it and problem solved," Tuohy told K rock radio earlier this week.
"My real concern [would] be, like the Mark Blicavs incident, if you go face-first into it you could potentially have some really nasty scars.
"(It’s) not a huge deal, we’ll be fine. But two in the space of 10 minutes probably warrants the conversation."
AFL.com.au understands the League is considering the plastic Perspex safety measure, with football operations manager Steve Hocking saying earlier in the week: "We are absolutely 100 per cent committed to player health and safety."
The League declared Perth's new stadium had met all the health and safety regulations despite the incidents occurring.
Hocking told AFL.com.au via a statement that the League was still working with the relevant stakeholders to finalise the options for player safety.
West Coast will face Gold Coast at Optus Stadium on Saturday evening.