Brain injury expert Dr Alan Pearce.Credit:Simon Schluter
Pearce disagrees. “The evidence shows clearly that a history of concussions poses increased risk for further concussion,the lower the impact force is required for subsequent concussion,the risk of worse symptoms,and risk of longer recovery periods,” he said.
”If these sports espouse[that],‘The health and well-being of our athletes are our top priority’,then why do they let players continue to suffer brain injuries? It wouldn’t happen in other workplaces.”
Swans coach John Longmire said it was too early to speculate on what Saturday night’s incident would mean for McCartin’s AFL future,and urged people to “take a deep breath” before jumping to conclusions,while the club’s football manager Charlie Gardiner said “every precaution” would be taken with him.
McCartin would be formally assessed in the next 24 to 48 hours,the club said,but he was in “good spirits” post-match.
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Sydney face Richmond in Adelaide for Gather Round on Friday night. McCartin is expected to be sidelined until there is clarity around his condition,after being taken off by Longmire without undergoing a head injury assessment,since he was obviously unwell.
“I do wonder whether the AFL might step in and have a say on this. I think it does come to a point where enough is enough,” said former Geelong and Adelaide forward Josh Jenkins on SEN Radio.
“We can’t quantify what it looks like for him in 10 years,in 30 years,and in 40 years. We just can’t tell him,‘Look,you’ve got three more hits in you and then you tip over the edge.’ We can’t tell him that.
“And I think a telling aspect is the nature of how he became so wobbly last night. It didn’t look like a forceful blow on the ground ... and yet he was left so dazed and so out of it.[The Swans have] already done the right thing by him by taking him out of the game,but I wonder whether the AFL might step in and put their two cents in at the very least.”
Paddy’s brother,Tom McCartin,also suffered a concussion on Saturday night and having failed his head injury assessment,will definitely not play against the Tigers at Adelaide Oval.
It is unclear yet whether the AFL will be involved in any decision around McCartin’s return to play,but there is expected to be more clarity on this after the Easter break.
with Marc McGowan
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