Neurologist Dr Rowena Mobbs begins monthly Adelaide clinics for footy players worried about mental health and repeated concussion

A Sydney neurologist will hold Adelaide clinics to examine ex-footy players worried about mental scars after repeated head knocks on the field.

Former AFL players concerned about their mental health because of repeated concussions during their playing days are being urged to come forward to be examined by a visiting Sydney neurologist who will hold monthly clinics in Adelaide.

Macquarie University neurologist Dr Rowena Mobbs will hold the first of the clinics Tuesday and will assess four former players who may have suffered detrimental long-term health effects from repeated head knocks, including dementia. Dr Mobbs will also consider whether the former players could be possible or probable candidates for the concussion-linked brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

“Neurologists are seeing people coming through with memory loss and mood changes and questions of CTE,’’ she said. “And so this is potentially a wave of dementia that’s now facing the (sporting) codes.’’

Dr Mobbs said figures from US gridiron showed the risk of CTE doubled for every 2.6 years played.

The long-lasting effects of multiple concussions and links to CTE has become a hot topic in the AFL following the deaths of former Richmond player Shane Tuck and former St Kilda player Danny Frawley. CTE cannot be diagnosed while a person is alive but both were found to have the degenerative brain disease after they died.

Tuck took his own life in July last year and a coronial inquiry in Victoria is expected to examine if there was a link between the head injuries the player suffered in his 173-game career with Richmond and his subsequent diagnosis with severe CTE.

Shane Tuck playing for Richmond

Dr Mobbs said she would conduct cognitive and memory testing on the ex-players and possible further brain and MRI screening.

She said even though CTE could not be diagnosed in the living, it was possible to manage related symptoms such as memory loss, mood swings and sudden rages.

“My particular passion is to follow these players in the longer term and provide care, regardless of the cause, if they do have dementia or not, and give them that close management that they require and their families need desperately,’’ she said.

Macquarie University neurologist Dr Rowena Mobbs. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Dr Mobbs is being brought to Adelaide by lawyer Greg Griffin, who has been working for several years on bringing a class action against the AFL for how it has managed the health of its players. Hawthorn champion John Platten has signed up to the litigation as has former Essendon ruckman John Barnes.

Mr Griffin said there were already “two Brownlow medallists’’ who were going to be assessed by Dr Mobbs but hoped many more players would come forward. He said the initial four former players preferred to remain anonymous at this stage.

He said it was often the wives and partners of players who first noticed the behavioural changes.

“Most of the calls come from wives and partners because none of the men think anything is wrong,’’ Mr Griffin said. “It’s the wives and partners who can see something needs to be done or their partner needs help.’’

Mr Griffin said any ex-AFL player who would like to be tested should contact him at [e-mail].