Nathan Murphy cleared to play on in 2024 despite suffering 10 concussions

Despite suffering his 10th concussion in the grand final, Nathan Murphy has been given the all clear to continue his AFL career with Collingwood.

Nathan Murphy of the Magpies kicks during a Collingwood Magpies training session at Victoria Park on December 04, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Collingwood defender Nathan Murphy has been cleared to play on next year after suffering the 10th concussion of his career in September.

There were doubts over Murphy’s future in the game after his latest concussion, which he sustained in a collision during the first quarter of the Grand Final.

However, the AFL has given the 24-year-old the green light to play on after meetings with concussion specialists and an assessment by the league’s medical concussion panel.

Collingwood’s board last week made the final tick off for Murphy’s return after assessing all available information and recommendations.

Murphy and his parents also appeared before the board and confirmed an “awareness and acceptance of risk associated with future concussions”.

“Nathan’s health and wellbeing remains our absolute priority,” Collingwood football boss Graham Wright said in a statement.

Murphy leaves the ground in the hands of a trainer during the grand final match. Picture: Getty Images

“Following this (latest) incident – combined with his medical history – the club together with Nathan and his family, engaged with concussion specialists and the expert concussion medical panel convened by the AFL to assess a return to play.

“At the conclusion of this process, the expert concussion medical panel convened by the AFL determined that Nathan was able to return to playing football in the elite AFL competition.”

Murphy’s 10 concussions have come across both his junior and senior playing career.

“The health and welfare of all athletes at Collingwood remains paramount and any incidence of concussion will continue to be managed appropriately and in line with the AFL’s current concussion guidelines,” Wright said.

Murphy was a key pillar in Collingwood’s premiership backline this year, playing 24 of a possible 26 games.

Nathan Murphy (R) at Collingwood training last week. Picture: David Crosling

He said after the Grand Final that he had passed an initial concussion test but ruled himself out of the game after experiencing blurry vision a short time later.

“I didn’t think I was up to it,” he said.

“With my history I get delayed symptoms.”

Murphy has featured in 57 AFL matches since debuting in 2018.

Earlier this year, the AFL’s panel had recommended that Sydney’s Patrick McCartin retire given his history of concussions.

Hawthorn’s Max Lynch was also forced into premature retirement after the panel recommended he no longer play contact sport.