'We don't need a death': Legend's plea to AFL

Legendary former Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy says a player could be killed going back with the flight of the ball if the AFL does not make the game safer.

Sheedy cited the incident involving Port Adelaide's Brad Ebert in this year's preliminary final against Richmond, where Ebert was cleaned up going back with the flight of the ball, effectively ending his career after another head knock.

While such courageous acts are lauded and almost expected out of every player, Sheedy said the players' welfare was more important than traditional hard footy acts.

"We don't need a death in our game," Sheedy told the Herald Sun.

"We are not ready for that and we don't want it, so we have to protect the players from themselves.

"If we lost someone it would send a cyclonic tsunami through the ranks and the flow-on impact at all levels of the game would be enormous.

"I don't know how we can change this, but the onus is on the AFL to at least look at it before someone dies.

"I am talking about the incident that ended Brad Ebert's career. I am talking about those crazy marks from Jonathan Brown and Nick Riewoldt.

"We admire the courage of those players, but sooner or later, someone is going to die."