Shaun Smith reveals he is battling depression and memory loss after high-flying career

FOLLOWING John Barnes concussion revelations, Mark of the Century high-flyer Shaun Smith has revealed he has been suffering brain lesions and depression in his post-career life.

BRAIN lesions and depression have cruelled the post-career life of Mark of the Century high-flyer, Shaun Smith.

The former Melbourne and North Melbourne aerialist says he fears his deepening battle with mental health and memory loss is linked to head knocks received playing footy.

“I’ve been battling depression for the last five or six years,” Smith revealed.

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“I tend to lose track of time and forget things. There are things that I can remember, like numbers, but whether it’s events or important things that I have to do I forget or I walk into a room and wonder: ‘What am I doing. What am I in the room for?’

“There’s changes - I just know something’s not right.

“My brain doesn’t function properly. It’s horrible and that’s not me - I’ve always been a fairly active sort of person - but sometimes you just lie in bed all day because you can’t be stuffed.”

Shaun Smith is helped on to a stretcher after an incident with Tony Lockett in 1997.

Smith, 48, has emerged as a second plaintiff in a proposed Federal Court concussion damages action against the AFL and footy clubs.

He joins Essendon premiership ruckman John Barnes, who detailed his battle with epilepsy, memory loss and anger bursts in Thursday’s Herald Sun.

Up to 10 other past players who fear their neurological impairments are the result of concussions are expected to join the damages action led by Adelaide United chairman Greg Griffin and veteran player agent Peter Jess.

Griffin says the actions will model those successfully mounted by NFL players in the US.

Smith is no longer involved at the top level but his son Joel, 21, debuted for Melbourne this season.

“You just worry and when I’m coaching I’ve always been pretty tough that anyone getting knocked out just doesn’t go back on,” he said.

“They whinge and moan but I say: ‘You don’t want to end up like me’.”

Smith estimates he copped more than 20 serious head knocks throughout his 109-game AFL career.

“I was probably knocked out every bit of 10 times and probably another 10 concussions on top of that,” Smith said.

Shaun Smith’s Mark of the Century against Brisbane in 1995. Picture: Channel 7

“You’d feel crap, but you’d play on, because that’s the way it used to be.

“There was one I had in Canberra in a pre-season game in front of all my family and friends ... I’d kicked four up to half-time and was playing pretty well, but at the five minute mark of the third quarter, I got elbowed in the side of my head and the lights went out for eight or nine minutes.

“They thought I’d actually broken my neck and I was crook for a long time after that.

Shaun Smith coaching St Kilda Sharks in the VFL. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

“There was another one at the MCG when I went to smother the ball when Gavin Wanganeen was kicking it and I got knocked out and woke up in the rooms.”

Smith is seeing a psychologist and a recent CT scan revealed he had numerous lesions on his brain.

A plumber by trade, he has been coaching women’s football for the past seven or eight seasons with the St Kilda Sharks.

He said he his ailing health forced him to give it away with seven weeks to go this season.

“Even my assistant coaches said: ‘I think you need a spell, mate’ and I said: ‘I think you’re right’. It killed me because it was my love, but I got some help since then and it’s made me a bit better.”

Smith’s goal-square screamer over teammate Garry Lyon against Brisbane at the Gabba in Round 22, 1995, was later judged as the mark of the 20th century.

Originally published as Shaun Smith reveals he is battling depression and memory loss after high-flying career