Danny Frawley's CTE diagnosis reminds Wimmera footballers to take concussion seriously

Beloved AFL icon Danny Frawley was posthumously diagnosed with CTE earlier this week, a neurological disorder linked with head knocks and concussion.

Frawley died in September, 2019, when his car hit a tree near Ballarat.

Harrow-Balmoral playing-coach Nick Pekin said the news was a stark reminder of the health risks associated with playing football.

"I'm about to have three young kids, I'm only 30, and I like to think I'm going to be around a lot longer than my footy career," he said.

"I'd like to play for another 10 years of course, but it does make you wonder the damage that's happening."

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Like many of his country football counterparts, Pekin has had several head-knocks across his career.

He said players only recently started taking concussion seriously.

"Even probably a couple of years ago, it was an attitude and mentality of, 'You'll be right'," he said.

"I've been stubborn enough over my career - but there's a lot more awareness now.

"If I get concussed again, I'd be having thoughts of sitting out for more than one week, and making sure that all of the symptoms are gone."

AFL Wimmera-Mallee's Jason Muldoon said the Horsham District league and Wimmera league followed the AFL's concussion protocols to minimise long-term risks.

A guide for concussions, released by the AFL in 2017, states that any player who is believed to have suffered a concussion must be medically assessed and must not return to play.

Concussed players must also not be allowed to return to sport, or to school, before getting a medical clearance.

"I'm happy to report all of our clubs have been really good at that as well," Mr Muldoon said.

"All the clubs have been good at getting their players cleared with doctors certificates before the next game.

"There's a lot of pressure on them to win games, but as a majority, the coaches accept the protocols and realise that once a player is concussed, they shouldn't be taking any further part.

"It's for the long-term health of everyone."

Harrow-Balmoral has a strong stance on concussions, forcing players to not participate the next week if concussed.

It is a rule informed by the careers of two AFL exports, Michael Close and Tim Houlihan.

Houlihan's AFL career was cut short by repeated concussions, retiring in 2013 at the age of 24 after advice from specialists.

Close meanwhile did not play football for 12 months after suffering bleeding from the brain while playing with North Melbourne in the VFL.

"We've got really good medical staff," Pekin said. "And they're likely to tell you to have at least a fortnight off if it's something serious.

"It's not just about a game, it's about the long term."

Pekin also started wearing a helmet last year after suffering another knock, and said he would likely encourage other teammates to do the same.

"You might see a few Harrow boys wearing helmets actually," he said.

"I think they could think about (making it mandatory) for juniors as well. Those kids, their brains are still developing at that age and they have to protect themselves.

"It's something that can't hurt."

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