Sydney’s Paddy McCartin to meet panel of doctors to determine future

Doctors could soon decide the playing future of Sydney’s Paddy McCartin and John Longmire revealed another star’s secret battle.

Paddy McCartin and Tom McCartin during Sydney Swans training at the SCG on April 20, 2023. Photo by Phil Hillyard

Swans star Tom McCartin has revealed brother Paddy is set to front a panel of doctors in the coming weeks to determine his AFL future.

Paddy McCartin has had a troubled history with concussion dating back to 2016 and has not played this season since suffering a head knock against Port Adelaide back in round four.

After Sydney’s 78-76 triumph over the Western Bulldogs at the SCG on Thursday night, brother Tom indicated a definitive call on Paddy’s career was looming.

“He’s catching up with a panel of doctors … they’re going to talk about everything he’s been through and make a decision on what the future looks like,” Tom McCartin told Channel 7.

Pressed by Seven presenter Hamish McLachlan about whether the panel of doctors had the final say over his future, McCartin admitted that was essentially the situation.

“Pretty much. Yep it’s just in the doctor’s hands,” McCartin said.

“He’s been very lucky with the support he’s had over the past few weeks. He’s a pretty tough bloke mentally. He’ll be fine. Whatever happens we’ll be there to support him.”

Tom McCartin and brother Paddy McCartin Photo by Phil Hillyard

Swans coach John Longmire played down the significance of the upcoming meeting, declaring in his post-match press conference that it was just the latest in a series of meetings he’s held with brain specialists.

“He‘s always speaking to specialists and there’s not that a big deal in it,” Longmire said after the game.

“It‘s just an ongoing conversation that he will continue to have. We’ll see how it goes.

“It‘s just a part of the assessments. He’s had plenty of assessments, so this will be another one where he sits down and talks to specialists as you’d expect.”

Meanwhile, Longmire has defended Tom Papley’s form drop-off this season, revealing a secret injury that hampered his star forward.

Papley roared to life with a matchwinning four-goal performance in the Swans’ two point win over the Bulldogs, but sadly for Sydney the masterclass moments have been few and far between this season.

One of the stars of Sydney’s run to the 2022 grand final, Papley’s lacklustre 2023 has been indicative of the Swans’ fall from grace.

However, Longmire on Thursday lifted the lid on the physical struggles Papley has quietly battled with behind the scenes this season as he praised his feisty charger for not offering up excuses.

“He‘s had some challenges this year,” Longmire said post-match as he celebrated his 300th AFL game as coach with a win.

“He broke his ribs at the start of the year and no one probably knew about it … well no one did know about it, and that was a lingering for quite a while.

“There was a number of other injuries that he‘s had that meant he just hasn’t been able to train, so he’s just had a tough year to try and physically to get up to be able to train and perform well.

Sydney's Tom Papley celebrates kicking a goal Photo by Phil Hillyard

“Obviously you go out there and there‘s no excuses. We understand that, but sometimes there are a few reasons behind it.

“Tonight he was super, he really wanted to win.”

Longmire said the broken ribs occurred in the pre-season but affected Papley through the start of the year.

“It was in the pre-season,” Longmire said.

“He had a cracked rib and they‘re just one of those things, players can have them and play with them, but it just means you can’t train, you can’t do any competitive training for weeks and weeks and weeks.

“And your chances are, in the game, you get a knock on it.”

Originally published as Sydney’s Paddy McCartin to meet panel of doctors to determine future