Fresh head knock puts career of Melbourne’s Kade Kolodjashnij in doubt
Another shocking headknock has left a significant cloud over the career of Melbourne’s Kade Kolodjashnij, the former No.5 draft pick still unable to return to full training after being rocked in an aerial contest before Christmas.
Melbourne
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Melbourne’s Kade Kolodjashnij is reeling from another head knock which has left the running defender’s career in the balance.
The Tasmanian played only two games last year because of his ongoing concussion problems and suffered yet another worrying knock in training before Christmas.
Kolodjashnij, 24, collided with teammates in an aerial contest, and has been unable to rejoin main training since.
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Two months on, the former Gold Coast Sun is still feeling the effects of the latest blow and is out indefinitely.
While he is hopeful of returning to the field, it is unclear when Kolodjashnij will be feeling well enough to successfully increase his training loads, leaving a significant cloud hanging over his 80-game career.
Football manager Josh Mahoney said Kolodjashnij has been on an individualised program since the December hit.
“As a club we are respecting Kade’s history of concussions and being very cautious with his rehabilitation. His program has been developed by medical experts and he is showing signs of improvement,” Mahoney said.
“Our main priority is to get Kade back to full health and we do expect him to make a full recovery. At this stage we have not put a timeframe on his recovery and subsequent return to football.”
The No.5 draft pick, who played in rounds two and three last year, likened his concussion symptoms to a “hangover” at the end of last season, and said he struggled with migraines.
“You can’t see it physically, so you come into the club and you’re feeling a little bit off, but everyone thinks you’re fine, which is probably the most challenging bit,” Kolodjashnij said.
“It’s more like a hangover, I guess.
“When you wake up on a Sunday, you’ve sort of got the headaches, a few migraines and you’re just feeling off.
“Obviously in this environment it’s really tough because you’re training every day, you’re coming into team meetings and so on – it’s definitely challenging.”
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Kolodjashnij is football’s latest concussion concern following on from Paddy McCartin’s decision to step away from St Kilda at the end of last year to continue his recovery.
Last year McCartin said: “I’m a shell of a person that I was, really. I’m completely different.”
“I have real light sensitivity, and I get really bad headaches. They’re common symptoms with concussion but generally they wear off by now, so it’s lasting a bit longer than usual.”
Players who have been forced to retire due to concussion include Western Bulldogs’ premiership hard nut Liam Picken, former teammate Koby Stevens, Geelong and Melbourne’s Sam Blease and ex-Magpies Ben Sinclair and Jack Frost.
A proposed Federal Court concussion damages case against clubs and the AFL involving up to 100 retired players has been delayed by a lack of medical records at most clubs.
Clubs are permitted to destroy records after seven seasons.
Melbourne has continued to support Kolodjahnij and has made his health and welfare the clear priority since joining the Demons.
He remains contracted for next season after arriving at Melbourne on a three-year deal via a trade alongside Steven May at the end of 2018.
But the latest incident has been a major setback for Kolodjashnij, who played only 10 games in the two seasons prior.
Kolodjashnij said last year he considered his future, but was hopeful he was finally over his concussion problems — before the latest incident.
“It definitely takes its toll, for sure,” he said.
“You sort of question yourself a little bit, I guess, during the period.
“But you see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I’m just hoping now I can do an Angus Brayshaw and come back stronger than ever.
“Hopefully it’s all behind me.”