Paddy McCartin still hopeful of playing AFL football if concussions symptoms abate

Concussion victim Paddy McCartin is keen to attempt one more pre-season if his symptoms ease before the end of the year. Contracted until 2020, he has been urged to consider medical marijuana to improve his health.

Paddy McCartin says he has not given up on his dream of playing AFL football again. Picture: AAP

Patrick McCartin is determined to embark upon another attempt to play AFL football if his dramatic concussion symptoms ease.

But St Kilda admits there are question marks about whether the No.1 draft pick will return to the football field.

McCartin laid bare his battle with concussion on Sunday, his eighth concussion leaving him unable to perform simple tasks and a “shell” of a person as a result.

St Kilda football boss Simon Lethlean told the Herald Sun McCartin, contracted until the end of 2020, was keen to complete another pre-season if his symptoms abate.

The concern is the innocuous nature of the bump that resulted in his last concussion in the pre-season competition and the severity of his symptoms.

Lethlean said McCartin still had his heart set on another crack at football.

St Kilda believes it has handled his situation well given extreme caution on his return to play and a battery of tests examining his condition.

Paddy McCartin says he has not given up on his dream of playing AFL football again. Picture: AAP

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“We couldn’t have exercised more caution and the club was the one that really pushed him to wear the helmet too. It is a worry how innocuous that hit was,” he said.

“Once he feels well he will start doing what he can do. He has a great pre-season this year and got himself into the best shape of his life. He enjoyed being fit. And he will want to have a crack.

“Whether he feels well enough in the end will be part of it and if he does feel well enough to get fit enough quite rightly there is a question mark about whether he should be playing but he hasn’t even thought to address that until he does feel well.”

Melbourne legend Garry Lyon urged him to consider medical marijuana as a potential remedy.

Former teammate Koby Stevens, who McCartin has spoken to about his own concussion battle, used medicinal marijuana after his career to ease his symptoms.

St Kilda said it had not considered that avenue, with McCartin in the best medical hands as he works through headaches as well as light and sound sensitivity.

The league would consider a submission if it was made but it would be a complicated case that would involve ASADA and the league’s own anti-drugs policy.

McCartin sits with Simon Lethlean at a recent St Kilda training session at RSEA Park. Picture: AFL Photos

“The medicinal cannibals became a really important issue for him. To hear him speak, he said it was like a light went on and he’d got his life back in a short period of time,” Lyon told On The Couch.

“I don’t know whether Paddy’s going down that path, but I’d be encouraging him seriously to talk to the AFL about it.

“If they went to the AFL now and went ‘this is the situation, can we have permission to trial this’, I can’t imagine they’d say no.”

St Kilda captain Jarryn Geary intents to play in the Saints clash against Port Adelaide in China on Sunday and will fly out on Wednesday morning as part of an advance party.

“He will definitely come across with the intention of wanting to play,” Lethlean said.

“He has to get through tests on Friday over there and see how he goes

He is intending on playing. He had a good session (on Monday). We will see how he goes, if there is enough strength in the leg (he will play).”