Video above: Insight looks at what it’s like living with head issues years after playing professional football. Can it be linked to head knocks inflicted while playing? Footy Concussions, Tuesday October 8 on SBS and SBS On Demand.
Shaun Smith remembers hitting rock bottom.
“I was at Richmond Station, I was literally, you know, half a second away from making a really bad decision,” he says, while fighting back tears.
The former AFL player is best known for his 1995 ‘Mark of the Century,’ an incredible leap into the air over team mate Garry Lyon when he was playing for the Melbourne Demons.
While Shaun remembers that historic moment there are many others he doesn’t.
“I don't remember a lot of stuff…because I did get a lot of concussions,” the 50 year old says.
Shaun says he would have been concussed between 30 to 40 times throughout his AFL career.
Decades later, he now suffers from depression, sleep apnoea and anger issues.
“Friends just said 'you're just not happy. You're just angry. You tend to just get frustrated really easy,' I'm thinking, yeah, you're right,” he says.
John Barnes, left, Shaun Smith, right, in their playing days. Source: Insight
Shaun believes the problems are the long term consequences of the hits to the head he received while playing professional football.
He’s now part of a planned class action against the AFL.
“I'm sure if someone at the head office in the AFL fell down the stairs and had a nasty back injury for the rest of their life they'd get WorkCover for the rest of their life, whereas we, we get nothing,” Shaun tells Insight.
Lawyers behind the class action say 100 former players have already signed up including John Barnes who played for Essendon and Geelong between 1987 and 2001.
He now suffers from epilepsy and memory loss. He says when he was playing and got a big knock to the head, he would often continue playing.
“Because you're a bit of a softie or a bit of a sook if you didn't. It was like a bit of a badge of honour,” he recalls.
Despite an increasing number of former professional footballers speaking publicly about their neurological issues, neurologist Chris Levi says not enough research has been done to draw a direct link with concussion.
“The evidence is developing but it's not at the level where we can say A plus B equals C because these are complex diseases, multiple factors involved, not just concussion,” he says.
If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health issues you can contact Lifeline via their website or on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue via their website or on 1300 22 4636.
