Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time.<\/p>\n
The AFL has cleared Collingwood key defender Nathan Murphy to resume his playing career after an examination by the league\u2019s concussion panel.<\/p>\n
Murphy and the Magpies had requested that the defender \u2013 a key in Collingwood\u2019s 2023 premiership who was concussed and ruled out early in the grand final \u2013 be subjected to an assessment by the AFL\u2019s medical concussion panel.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Teammates check on Nathan Murphy before he was subbed off in the grand final.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Paul Rovere<\/cite><\/p>\n The AFL, which had the power to rule against Murphy\u2019s return if the panel made that recommendation, ruled that the defender could return to play. Murphy, who turned 24 last week, has suffered multiple concussions in his career, including one during Gather Round in Adelaide last year, when St Kilda\u2019s Anthony Caminiti was suspended for three matches for striking Murphy.<\/p>\n The ruling comes after a meeting between Murphy and the Magpies\u2019 board.<\/p>\n The decision is a boost for the Magpies, who lost Daniel McStay to a torn anterior cruciate ligament injury that will see him miss potentially all the 2024 season, and already had three vacancies on their senior list, not counting McStay, and could ill afford to lose another capable tall playing at either end.<\/p>\n Murphy was concussed late in the first quarter of the grand final against the Brisbane Lions and made the tough decision to rule himself out \u2013 missing three quarters \u2013 after he was initially cleared to return to the field.<\/p>\n Sydney\u2019s Paddy McCartin, who had repeated concussions in his career at St Kilda and then the Swans, retired from the game this year after the AFL panel of concussion experts recommended he stop playing due to his long history of concussion, and reduce his prospects of brain trauma.<\/p>\n The contest that sidelined Nathan Murphy in the grand final.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Seven<\/cite><\/p>\n Collingwood\u2019s executive general manager of football Graham Wright said: \u201cNathan\u2019s health and wellbeing remains our absolute priority.<\/p>\n \u201cNathan suffered a concussion late in the first quarter of the grand final and following this incident \u2013 combined with his medical history \u2013 the club together with Nathan and his family, engaged with concussion specialists and the AFL\u2019s medical concussion panel to assess a return to play.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the conclusion of this process, the AFL\u2019s medical concussion panel determined that Nathan was able to return to playing football in the elite AFL competition.<\/p>\n \u201cThe health and welfare of all athletes at Collingwood remains paramount and any incidence of concussion will continue to be managed appropriately and in line with the AFL\u2019s current concussion guidelines.\u201d<\/p>\n Murphy, his parents and the club doctor all appeared before the Collingwood board last week. A Magpies statement said that \u201con the basis of the recommendation of the AFL medical concussion panel, recommendation of the club doctor and awareness and acceptance of risk associated with future concussions confirmed by Nathan and his parents \u2013 agreed on those bases that Nathan should be able to continue his career as a player at Collingwood\u201d.<\/p>\n Collingwood have six players training with the club in the hope of securing one or two of the three vacancies on their list, with the Magpies likely to hold one position for the mid-season draft.<\/p>\n Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. <\/i><\/b>Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Most Viewed in Sport<\/h2>\n
From our partners<\/h3>\n