Concussion campaigner Peter Jess warns Paddy McCartin about the potential damage of repeat head knocks

Concussion campaigner Peter Jess has warned St Kilda forward Paddy McCartin may already have ‘permanent structural damage to his brain’ as he renews calls for concussion management to be taken out of the hands of AFL clubs.

Paddy McCartin has suffered repeated head knocks. Picture: Getty Images

Concussion campaigner Peter Jess has warned St Kilda forward Paddy McCartin may already have “permanent structural damage to his brain” as he renews calls for concussion management to be taken out of the hands of AFL clubs.

McCartin spent Sunday night in Ballarat’s St John of God hospital after feeling unwell following his eighth concussion since 2014 in the Saints’ final pre-season match against Western Bulldogs.

REVEALED: WHO MADE ROBBO’S TOP 50?

INJURY: STAR SAINTS SPEND NIGHT IN HOSPITAL

St Kilda coach Alan Richardson denied post-game that the situation was necessarily “incredibly dire” and added the significant time between concussions for McCartin could help his recovery.

However, long-time player agent Jess said Sunday’s “innocuous” concussion suggested to him there were deep-seeded issues.

“My view is that Paddy McCartin now, because of the number of concussions he’s had and the symptoms he’s showing, has probably got permanent structural damage to his brain. But that can be tested,” Jess said.

Paddy McCartin hits the turf after copping a knock to the head. Picture: Michael Klein

“Every concussion he’s had is getting worse than the last, without a full-blown catastrophic event.

“There is no clinical golden rule for the number of concussions that create the tipping point where you should no longer put yourself at risk by playing a collision-based sport. But it is very clear that he is having repetitive problems.”

Jess said the AFL needed to take management out of the hands of clubs by appointing an independent concussion management facilitator.

“We need to have people that are totally independent of the football club and the league so they can make a totally unbiased assessment of the player,” Jess said.

St Kilda football boss Simon Lethlean said the club would be cautious with McCartin, who was back home resting on Sunday.

“As with every concussion, it’s now just about his symptoms as to how quickly he’ll be back on the track,” Lethlean said.

Paddy McCartin has suffered repeated head knocks. Picture: Michael Klein

“Given his history of head knocks, it goes without saying that we’ll take a cautious approach.”

Saints defender Dylan Roberton also spent Sunday night in hospital after being “a bit wonky” on his feet in the final seconds of the match.

The 27-year-old is playing with an electronic device in his chest that monitors and corrects heart beat abnormalities this season after collapsing in Round 4 last year due to a heart irregularity.

“We’ll know more in the next few days as to what caused him to feel unwell and what the prognosis is from here,” Lethlean said.