Newcomb recruit and ex-Melbourne listed player Dion Johnstone opens up on concussion toll

Dion Johnstone has changed local teams, but the former Melbourne player is well aware his career is in a delicate position after a concerning number of head knocks.

Dion Johnstone has shed light on how concussion has affected him. Picture: Mark Wilson

Newcomb recruit and former Melbourne listed player Dion Johnstone has suffered about 10 concussions across his career.

He is just 26-years-of age.

Johnstone’s concussions haven’t forced him off the job as a mechanical plumber, but they have certainly knocked him around at times.

The ex-St Mary’s forward sported a helmet for his home club North Warrnmabool in 2022 and for the Saints in 2023.

“I ditched the helmet this season but I wore it for two years prior, I had a fair bit of concussion issues and it got pretty bad there at one stage,” Johnstone said.

“It was just moreso side effects of it. If I just copped a little hit then it’d just take me a while to recover and I just had that groggy sort of head and at times just feeling sick.

“It shook me up a bit and started to take me a bit longer to recover from a head knock.

There was one particularly rough patch where the hard at it forward – who spent two years on Melbourne’s list from 2017-18, suffering one concussion in that period – copped two head knocks in the space of three weeks.

Dion Johnstone celebrates a goal for Casey VFL back in 2017. Picture: Robert Prezioso/AFL Media/Getty Images

“That’s when I went and saw a doctor and he sort of recommended me to wear (a helmet) for a bit,” Johnsone said.

“I haven’t had any dramas ever since. Keeping my head out of places it shouldn’t be.

“They were mainly minor hits, it’s hard to explain. I have never been knocked out to the point where I have been stretchered off or arms stiff, I’ve never done that.

“But I do have probably a few seconds where I black out for a bit, other than that it has just been a continuous thing of those little ones.”

Two concussions in three weeks is no longer a reality in local footy after the AFL brought in 21-day return to play protocols at the beginning of year.

Johnstone feels the rules will have a positive impact on players into the future.

“There is a lot more safety and awareness around players who are copping head knocks because before they brought it in a lot of people would just play the next week which is not ideal,” Johnstone said.

“Everyone handles it differently and I guess their brains react differently as well but in the long run it is definitely not good. Since this rule I’d assume they’d be seeing better results in the future for kids as well and the now players when they’re older/

“I dare say they’ll be seeing improvements when they reach their elder years.”

Johnstone will call Newcomb home in 2024 after signing with the club through a connection with president Matt Farrow, but there was “no particular reason” behind his move.

He expects to spend more time in the midfield at the Bellarine club than he did at St Mary’s, where he was primarily stationed in attack.

Dion Johnstone has joined Newcomb. Picture: Newcomb FC

Johnstone is one of several players to depart the Saints – Damian McMahon following him to the BFNL with Barwon Heads and Kade Chalcraft (Shepparton United), Sam Dobson (Koroit) and Nic Minchin (Murrumbeena) also leaving – but he is confident they will remain a force in 2025.

“I still feel like they will be strong. Some players have left but they’ve got great depth and I’ve got full confidence in ‘Rayns’ coach (Luke Rayner) that he’ll get the side where they need to be and I don’t think it’ll affect them too much,” Johnstone said.

“The depth at that club is incredible so I think they will bounce back on their feet pretty well and give some boys coming through a lot more senior time.”

Johnstone is excited to join the emerging group at Newcomb but he is well aware his playing future in a delicate position.

Another concussion and it may be curtains for his career.

“I have a family and a little one at home so it is definitely something I’ll consider. If I got knocked out again it’d probably be my footy career done, so it something I have thought about very hard,” Johnstone said.

“It is not an easy decision but… I have a got a lot more things going on my life than playing footy each week.”

Originally published as Newcomb recruit and ex-Melbourne listed player Dion Johnstone opens up on concussion toll