Ex-Melbourne forward Shaun Smith found to have ‘permanent incapacity’, has superannuation paid out early

He was once one of the game’s great high-markers. Now Shaun Smith will never return to the workforce. The former Demon is believed to be the first player to have his super paid out early due to head injuries suffered during his career.

Mark of the Century high-flyer Shaun Smith has been paid out his superannuation a decade in advance because of crippling brain injuries suffered while playing football.

Fund trustees for Cbus Super have agreed to the early release of Smith’s benefit on the grounds of “Permanent Incapacity”.

The company has accepted independent medical advice declaring that he is incapable of ever returning to the workforce.

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Former Melbourne footballer Shaun Smith and Mark of the Century holder is unable to return to work due to injuries suffered during his career. Picture: Alex Coppel

Smith, 50, estimates he was “knocked out cold” 12-14 times during his 109-game career with Melbourne and North Melbourne on top of dozens of sub-­concussive hits.

The extent of his head trauma was laid bare in private medical files released by Smith last year.

The gruesome report described numerous lesions and “deep white matter” on his brain and symptoms including depression, pervasive suicidal ideation, feelings of hopelessness, social withdrawal, insomnia, and poor short-term memory.

He survived a suicide attempt last October and has been under regular care in a Melbourne psychiatric clinic.

“Shaun is the first AFL footballer that I know of who has been assessed as being totally and permanently incapacitated from concussions while playing AFL football,” Smith’s manager Peter Jess said.

Smith was a popular member of the Demons in the mid-1990s.

Smith is best-remembered for this incredible mark.

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“This is groundbreaking in the process of establishing causation for any future claims.

“It is a frightening outcome and in my view just the tip of the iceberg.

“We are starting to see the terrible toll that concussions take.

“Concussion has stripped away his ability to earn a living from any normal day-to-day job. “He is unable to function at any reasonable level and what it does, in my view, is establish from independent medical experts that there is a clear causation between the multiple concussions he incurred playing AFL football and the traumatic brain injury that he now has.”

Figures released by the AFL last year revealed 74 players suffered concussions in AFL matches in 2018 — up from 63 in 2017.

The official injury figures, which do not include players concussed at training, showed the game’s concussion scourge was affecting an average of 4.11 players at every club.

A host of AFL players including St Kilda’s Paddy McCartin, Western Bulldogs premiership hero Liam Picken and St Kilda’s Koby Stevens have walked away from the game in recent times because of complications caused by head knocks.

“Don’t do it. Just don’t do it,” Smith said last year in a warning to players considering rolling the dice.

Originally published as Ex-Melbourne forward Shaun Smith found to have ‘permanent incapacity’, has superannuation paid out early