Retired Hawk Jack Fitzpatrick reveals details of the concussion that ended his AFL career

JACK Fitzpatrick has no memory of the head knock that ended his AFL career and reveals he was unable to watch TV for a month and struggled to perform life’s simple tasks after the incident.

Jack Fitzpatrick underlined his cult-figure status with a last-minute goal against Collingwood in Round 23 last year. Picture: Michael Klein

JACK Fitzpatrick says he still has no memory of the dramatic Round 8 head knock that has ended his career after seven concussions in five seasons.

The Melbourne and Hawthorn ruckman has been told by medical experts he will never play contact sport again after recently retiring at just 26 years of age.

He is the second player to retire this year through concussion after St Kilda’s Sean Dempster made the same decision early in the year.

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He spent over a month at home unable to watch TV or even perform simple tasks without headaches and dizziness.

The AFL cult figure, who played 26 games in eight seasons, was kneed in the head by Brisbane ruckman Stef Martin during a centre bounce in his first senior game for the year.

It was his ninth concussion in his football career and seventh since 2013, the latest in a long line of AFL players forced to retire through head knocks.

Speaking for the first time about his concussion episodes on Sunday, he told the Herald Sun he was still feeling the after-effects of that May 13 contest.

Jack Fitzpatrick suffered a career-ending concussion against Brisbane earlier this year. Picture: Getty

“I was up against Stef Martin in the ruck and I elected not to jump and he did and I was collected by his knee to the head,” he said.

“Pretty much straight away I knew it was by far the worst concussion I have had. I don’t remember playing the game, the first thing I remember is sitting in the doctors’ rooms in Tasmania.

“I felt dreadful. I was in a pretty bad way for a month and eventually I was told by doctors and specialists that unfortunately I am not able to play contact sport again.

“Overall this was my ninth concussion and I had missed a bit of footy last year but was able to get back and play but they were just getting worse with each concussion I got.”

Fitzpatrick was a left-field acquisition by Alastair Clarkson last year but his brilliant Round 23 goal helped seal a top four spot on the way to his only two finals.

He says he has been told he will eventually make a full recovery but 14 weeks later is only just recovering from the symptoms.

“Headaches and light-headedness were the most severe symptoms. I could barely watch TV for a month or I would get a headache, for about a month I was incapable of doing simple things like cooking dinner,” he said.

Jack Fitzpatrick underlined his cult-figure status with a last-minute goal against Collingwood in Round 23 last year. Picture: Michael Klein

“I didn’t drive a car for six weeks and strangely enough the weeks after I started driving a car I ended up in a car accident.

“I ran up the back of someone and in the back of your mind you think, ‘Is that related to the concussion, was I just a bit slow to react?’

“What really frustrates me is I still get tongue-tied or say the wrong word or will look at a number and say it backwards and not realise.

“You realise then your brain is not working at full capacity. When you can’t watch a movie without getting a headache, they are scary things.

“The doctors have told me I will recover but they said if you cop another knock, not only what would the recovery look like but there are potential side-effects that could come from it in the long-term.”

Like St Kilda’s Patrick McCartin, Fitzpatrick’s concussion issues have also been complicated by his status as a diabetes sufferer.

McCartin’s last game this year was Round 15, with his brain scans and cognitive tests meaning he wasn’t risked for the last third of the year.

But Fitzpatrick says despite some speculation there is no link with diabetes and severe concussions.

Jack Fitzpatrick played in Hawthorn’s two finals last year. Picture: Colleen Petch

“From all I hear and all the research there is no link. But the symptoms of high or low blood sugar can be the same as the symptoms for concussion with dizziness and light-headedness,’’ he said.

“A lot of times early I would be feeling pretty ordinary and the first thing I would do was check my sugar levels to make sure I was OK.

“I think it’s just a coincidence that the symptoms can mimic each other.

“I have a soft spot for him with Patty also being a diabetic and have always taken a special interest in him.

“I would just say listen to the medical advice and be honest with the doctors about how you are feeling.

“If you do have a headache or are feeling dizzy, there is no need to be a hero and put yourself in danger.”

Fitzpatrick didn’t get the premiership he might have hoped for and won’t be reuniting with a group of mates playing local footy as promised.

But as his mum reminded him recently, when the Hawks saw Ben Dixon’s 2001 matchwinner on the siren against Carlton he said he wanted that kind of moment one day.

That magical raking goal to set up a top-four berth will have to do after a career cut short by one too many head knocks.