Collingwood president Jeff Browne reveals Nathan Murphy was sent for further scans in the wake of Angus Brayshaw’s retirement

Collingwood has revealed Nathan Murphy was sent for extra precautionary scans in the wake of Angus Brayshaw’s shock retirement as the defender returned to contact training this week.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 07: Nathan Murphy of the Magpies does run troughs during a Collingwood Magpies AFL training session at AIA Centre on February 07, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Josh Chadwick/Getty Images)

Collingwood has revealed it requested more scans for Nathan Murphy immediately after Demon Angus Brayshaw’s shock retirement from AFL football late last month out of extreme caution in the management of their sidelined premiership defender.

As Murphy got through his first physical contact session on Wednesday, Magpies president Jeff Browne told this masthead the club was taking all the necessary precautions required to aid Murphy’s recovery from his grand final concussion and his overall wellbeing.

Browne said the club’s conservative approach included a meeting with Murphy and his parents after he had been cleared to play by the AFL and club medicos as well as further scans after Brayshaw was forced into a premature retirement in late February following his qualifying final concussion.

Nathan Murphy has returned to contact training at Collingwood. Picture: Josh Chadwick/Getty Images

The Magpies president said Murphy’s recent scan results were clear, but he maintained the club would take a slow and considered approach to his welfare.

“I am told it (the result) is clear, but we will monitor him very closely,” Browne said.

“I would love him to play, but I want him to be safe, and I want him to have a happy life after he leaves (Collingwood).”

Murphy has endured several concussions during his time at the club, with the latest coming when he subbed himself out of the grand final last year after colliding with Lion Lincoln McCarthy.

The 24-year-old said recently he wasn’t yet in the right mindset to tackle full contact drills, but he remains a much loved and important member of Collingwood’s playing group.

Murphy was cleared to resume his AFL career late last year, but even after being given the medical green light, the defender and his parents met with Browne and the Collingwood board to ensure they were aware of the potential risks of suffering another head knock.

“We have handled it sensitively,” Browne said. “He (Murphy) was cleared to play by the AFL medical panel and he was cleared to play by our club doctor, but (we) weren’t prepared to just rest on that, as much as I accept those two decisions.”

Mark Knight cartoon on Demon Angus Brayshaw forced to retire because of concussion

“So (we) had Nathan and his parents come before the board and went through the risks … (with) concussion, there are plenty of risks we don’t know about.

“There is so much of this we don’t know about, so when you say ‘Yes I want to return to play’, there is an element of the unknown in that.

“There could be an element of risk that we are not aware of … (so) he is having ongoing scans.”

Browne said Murphy remained keen to play again, but stressed the club was continuing to monitor him closely.

Asked if the club’s cautious approach had anything to do with any potential future liability, Browne said: “It is solely about his health and wellbeing … It is about doing the right thing.”

Collingwood coach Craig McRae said Murphy had this week started on a program that will slowly integrate him back into full contact again, which could take more than a month.

McRae said on Wednesday: “He’s in a program that will see him (in) five or six weeks, whatever it takes, progress back to play.”

“But it’s a week to week, session by session thing – it was pleasing he got through (on Wednesday).”

Originally published as Collingwood president Jeff Browne reveals Nathan Murphy was sent for further scans in the wake of Angus Brayshaw’s retirement