Ricky Nixon’s Frawley concussion claims: ‘He started to behave very strangely’
Controversial manager Ricky Nixon has linked close mate Danny Frawley’s battle with mental health to concussions he sustained on the footy field, making a sensational claim about Frawley’s brain.
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Danny Frawley’s depression was linked to several concussions on the football field, one of his best mates believes.
Former player and manager Ricky Nixon has also said that he has heard that the St Kilda great’s brain has been donated to research.
The Herald Sun believes that is the case but Frawley’s family has not wanted to comment.
Frawley, who suffered from depression, was killed last September when his four-wheel drive struck a tree near Ballarat.
Nixon said that he had been researching the concussion issue for a long time and believed it was linked to “one of my best mates Danny Frawley”.
Nixon said that he’d played at the MCG one day when Frawley was punched “fair and square in the jaw” by an opposition player.
“Knocked him out,” he told the You Cannot Be Serious podcast.
“The research I’ve been doing in the 12 months – if you get knocked out for more than one minute when you’re out cold, effectively you’re brain dead but your heart’s still going.
“When you get to the age of around 50, your brain starts to deteriorate.”
Nixon said that Frawley was knocked out for four minutes on that day, and came back on the ground within an hour and got knocked out another eight times in his career.
“When he turned exactly 50, that year he started to behave very strangely and that continued on for the next six or seven years,” he said.
“You can’t tell me that wasn’t concussion related.”
Nixon also revealed that he’d heard that Frawley’s brain had been donated for research, but couldn’t confirm it.
“I hope his brain has been donated,” he said.
Last month, it was revealed that champion footballer Graham “Polly” Farmer had become the first Aussie rules player to be diagnosed with a concussion-related brain disease.
Nixon, who managed about 1200 players in his career, said that he’d about 50 players contact him recently over the concussion issue.
“Someone like Des Tuddenham, who is a good friend of mine,” he said.
“He told me he’s got up to 15 teammates who lay on the sofa all day, every day and they’re not in a good way due to head knocks. That is unbelievable.”
“(But) you can’t say it’s concussion directly related.”
The podcast is hosted by Sam Newman, Don Scott and Mike Sheahan.
If you or someone you know needs help call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.
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Originally published as Ricky Nixon’s Frawley concussion claims: ‘He started to behave very strangely’