15 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Helmets don't do anything. It's the brain hitting the inside of the skull from the whiplash that causes the damage.

Yes, the brain is like floating inside the skull so it's susceptible to crashing into the skull when there is a sudden and violent motion of the head.

10 hours ago, binman said:

The other interesting bit from Gus's letter from a legal perspective is:

'I hope the AFL will be proactive in the future when it comes to the safety of its players as opposed to reactive'

He also has $3m+ owing him on his contract so the above comment combined with his choice of words in being ‘medically retired’ suggest to me he was making sure there is no stuffing around when it comes to a salary payout in full.

Maynards hit was absolutely intentional and the handling of it by the AFL should come back to haunt them as it was a digusting decision by the tribunal to let him play. Contact to the head, no, matter, what, in the AFL should be severely dealt with, irrespective of what faux tough keyboard/couch warriors or retired "good old days" players say. 

And while I respect this is an emotional time any anger at Maynard is misguided.

It is not Maynards fault that Angus is retiring. 

Angus's retirement comes from repeated hits to the head, there is no "root cause" reason for the retirement (i.e. Maynard) it is through multiple contributing factors.

The reality is repeated hits to the head will, over time, take longer to recover from and eventually cause irreversible impacts to the human brain. And the amount of damage you can sustain is unique to every person.

My daughters friend got a bad head knock playing soccer when she was 15. It was the first time she had a serious hit to the head. It took 12 months to make a recovery, she got another knock and the doctors told her she could no longer play contact sport.

For me personally I've had 10 concussions through footy, surfing, boxing and general idiocy growing up. After I got briefly knocked out in a surfing accident 5 years ago that required skull surgery I had a full brain scan. Luckily there were no symptoms and I'm in my late 40's. I now wear a helmet every time I surf/skate/snowboard just to be safe. 

Everyone is different, unfortunately Angus's buffer of head injuries ran out. 

Still feeling very flat about this. 

23 minutes ago, Hatchman said:

 

It is not Maynards fault that Angus is retiring. 

 

ill point you at gus' statement where it says "a direct result of the incident in the qualifying final" then.

Sincere thanks to many many posters, who have expressed sentiments I strongly agree with. I couldn't post sooner, this news really hurt. 

There is no way around it, by fair means or foul, I want that dog hounded out of the game. 

To me there is an unspoken contract, between the improvement in fitness and skill of players and the level of protection they should receive. I honestly believe i would be outraged at any player getting lined up the way Angus was. 

I acknowledge that Gus might have been more susceptible to the impact than others, but that was fair dinkum, a sniper shot from the 70's.

I think Gus is doing the right thing fwiw.

Read today's article by Peter Ryan in the Age.

Sums up Angus beautifully, but also refers to mayanard having to carry the load for this decsion by Angus and maynard's action.

IMO, Brayshaw is and will be all class and revered into the future. I know I will.

mayard is now a footnote/stain on AFL history (along with the Tribunal members who found him not guilty). A much bigger lifetime burden to carry than a lousy 3 week suspension he should have been handed.

1 hour ago, Hatchman said:

Maynards hit was absolutely intentional and the handling of it by the AFL should come back to haunt them as it was a digusting decision by the tribunal to let him play. Contact to the head, no, matter, what, in the AFL should be severely dealt with, irrespective of what faux tough keyboard/couch warriors or retired "good old days" players say. 

And while I respect this is an emotional time any anger at Maynard is misguided.

It is not Maynards fault that Angus is retiring. 

Angus's retirement comes from repeated hits to the head, there is no "root cause" reason for the retirement (i.e. Maynard) it is through multiple contributing factors.

The reality is repeated hits to the head will, over time, take longer to recover from and eventually cause irreversible impacts to the human brain. And the amount of damage you can sustain is unique to every person.

My daughters friend got a bad head knock playing soccer when she was 15. It was the first time she had a serious hit to the head. It took 12 months to make a recovery, she got another knock and the doctors told her she could no longer play contact sport.

For me personally I've had 10 concussions through footy, surfing, boxing and general idiocy growing up. After I got briefly knocked out in a surfing accident 5 years ago that required skull surgery I had a full brain scan. Luckily there were no symptoms and I'm in my late 40's. I now wear a helmet every time I surf/skate/snowboard just to be safe. 

Everyone is different, unfortunately Angus's buffer of head injuries ran out. 

Except Angus didnt have a concussion for 5 years prior to the Maynards Hit>

 

 

Personally I'm not going to waste any energy on Maynard. 

My focus is on the AFL handling of this.

They have basically acknowledged the rules were inadequate in terms of protecting a player in the position Gus found himself in by changing them as soon as they could.

For me that is explicit evidence of Gus' implied criticism of the AFL being reactive not proactive.

And evidence of the AFL, stewards of the game not just the financial bottom line, of failing in their duty to protect players.

Why?

Because the risks involved of a player leaving the ground and jumping towards an opponent were clear prior to the Gus hit.

It's why koz copped 2 weeks for his bump on Bailey Smith despite not hurting him.

Yes, that was a bump but so what?

The logic remains the same - leave the ground and the risks, and potential level of head trauma, increases.

The Gus hit wasn't a novel event that couldn't be predicted- for example like Judd's chicken wing tackle was.

Hell, Maynard's accepted defence, promoted by most of the footy media and ex players, was it was a 'football act'.

Can't be an event the AFL couldn't reasonably be expected to have had the rules in place to prevent AND be a football act.

A less significant example of this complete lack of ability to get ahead of the curve and proactively prevent predictable issues, at least in terms of protecting the health of its employees, is the joke that the score review system is.

It is predictable a player will receive significant head trauma from a bump. I would argue if that happens it's on the AFL. 

The AFL can be proactive when they want to.

One player having their leg broken led the AFL to introduce the slide rule.

That rule change didn't change football. But somehow the bump is sacrosanct, which is deeply ironic.

They have been inching towards banning it. Rip the band aid off before another young player has to leave the game because of head trauma so bad they have to remain in a darkened room and can't shake migraines.

That would green light all the levels below the AFL, including junior footy to ban the bump.

I can only imagine how many unnecessary hits to the head there are at local club level and how many thousands of people have some form of head trauma from such hits.

Edited February 22, 20241 yr by binman

“He'll make his mark”: Lyon looks on the bright side for retired Melbourne hero Brayshaw

Thursday was a sad day for our game.

The AFL world was forced to say goodbye to Melbourne star Angus Brayshaw with the 28-year-old announcing his retirement from this beautiful game, effective immediately.

His ongoing battle with concussion reached the point where it was having a significant impact on his brain which meant any further knocks would impact his life post-footy.

And when you look at it like that, it’s a good thing that Brayshaw, alongside his family and club, had the resources to come to that decision.

Brayshaw will go down as a hero of the Melbourne Football Club. He was a pivotal member of that drought-breaking premiership team that saw Melbourne supporters experience some of their greatest memories as a football fan in the midst of another COVID-forced lockdown.

The photo of him sucking down a cigar in the middle of Optus Stadium is iconic.

Bradshaw made wearing helmets cool and when you go down to your local Auskick in the coming months, you’ll see young girls and boys donning a helmet with the number 10 on their backs.

His infectious personality has a positive impact on people. I’ve never met Angus Brayshaw, but you can tell he’d be a cracking bloke that you'd love to spend some time with.

A highly specialised scan in recent months revealed microscopic changes to Brayshaw’s brain that had developed since his concussion sustained during the Demons' 2023 Qualifying Final loss to Collingwood.

Brayshaw’s hand was forced, and the game has seen the last of a player that starred in this competition over his 167-game career.

He embodied the spirt of the red and blue for close to a decade and his impact on the club will live on for years to come.

I read a beautiful tribute from a Melbourne fan to Brayshaw on Wednesday night, it read: “We pay tribute to Angus Brayshaw, whose indelible mark on the AFL landscape leaves an enduring legacy for generations to come. Brayshaw’s legacy transcends the realm of sport, encompassing values of resilience, determination and perseverance.”

You couldn’t have put it better yourself and the hundreds of tributes made by former titans of the game, past teammates and neutral fans far and wide show how respected Brayshaw was in the football fraternity.

But February 21 was a sad day for all involved and I spoke with Melbourne great Garry Lyon to find out what Brayshaw meant to him and how significant this is for the AFL as we continue to deal with sensitive situations like the one that forced a premature retirement.

“He’s one of 23 heroes of mine that helped deliver a premiership to a footy club and supporter group that thought they’d never get to see one, he’s one of those 23 heroes and always will be forever and a day,” Lyon told SEN.com.au.

“Apart from that, he’s a Brayshaw and that’s got a lot going for him, he’s an articulate and clever young man that’s got a great sense of humour with a great outlook on life.

“He made his mark in the world of footy and has been pulled up short, but he’ll make his mark somewhere along the way because he’s got the world in front of him.

“Angus always put the team first, he’s such a selfless kid, he finished third in the Brownlow in 2018 and he could’ve easily banged the table and said, ‘why aren’t I playing more midfield time?’, but at various stages he had to play a role for the club, and he accepted it with great grace.

“He’s a super player, a great young man that’s got a big, long life ahead of him.”

Brayshaw joins a growing list of players that have had their career cut short due to concussion and Lyon hopes that Brayshaw’s story can be a learning curve and cautionary tale for everyone in the AFL world.

“Hopefully now people can stop trying to make decisions for players that have no idea about what the player is going through,” Lyon added.

“I’m talking about us in the media, those who write stories urging players to retire.

“Surely, we can just sit back and trust that there’s a system in place where the right things will be done by the player, the player’s family and their club.

“In the end, footy isn’t the be-all and end-all, his health is.

“He’s 28-years-old with another 65 years of life to live and that’s a good thing, they’ve been able to find the issue and think about his long-term future.”

As for the impact his departure will have on Simon Goodwin and the playing group, Lyon says it is unquestionable that this will have a monumental bearing on how the Demons go in 2024, but it's the last thing he’s thinking of as this sad news sinks in.

“He’s a huge loss, there’s no questioning or sugar-coating that, he’s in the best five or six players in the team and you don’t lose those players without leaving a hole,” Lyon added.

“But I emphasise this - that’s footy and he’s a huge loss from a footy point of view - but there’s more important things at play here.

“Of course, we’re going to miss him but we’re bloody lucky, thankful and happy that they’ve found the issue at hand and that his life going forward is going to be better for that.”

I’ve had the good fortune of meeting Angus and having a brief conversation with him regarding, playing against his brother early in his career. We also shared something in common Go Bloods!

Left me with the strong impression of a friendly, gregarious young man with the world at his feet. Who still had the time of the day to talk to an old bloke about footy.

His pre-mature retirement leaves a void that will be difficult to fill. Both on field and in the hearts of many true red and blue supporters.  
 

Others have rightly eulogised his on field exploits and contribution to the success of the Club. Of course his courage, never say die attitude and commitment to others out on the field cannot be questioned. A great team man with a heart of gold and a great sense of humor.

Would like to wish Angus all the best in his post football life.
 

Sursum Corda.
 

Edited February 22, 20241 yr by Tarax Club

20 hours ago, hardtack said:

Yes, I’m devastated that we’re losing Brayshaw, but all (probably the bulk) of these comments directed at Maynard and the AFL for their inaction are way off the mark.

To say that Brayshaw hadn’t had a concussion for x amount of years as if that meant he was in tip-top A1 condition and that Maynard is responsible for his having to retire is ridiculous. The effects of the past concussions are cumulative (they do not just disappear) and I’d suspect that Brayshaw and his ‘team’ had pondered retirement more than once in the past, purely because of his history. As weird as it may seem, maybe the Maynard incident was a blessing in disguise, having forced a decision upon them that is most likely in Brayshaw’s best interests.

To say that this was caused by the AFL’s inaction is also either wrong, or a misguided case of 20/20 hindsight. They could ban Maynard for a year, and it would make no difference as to whether Gus would retire or not. Where were all of the complaints about the AFL being too slow to act on changing rules relating to smothers, prior to this incident?  The fact is that the AFL have now acted and have made changes to those rules, citing the players duty of care etc.

Why is it that our supporters are always looking for someone to blame when things go wrong, when we should be wishing Gus all the best for the future? Even in the practice match thread people were raising the old chestnut of the umpires hating Melbourne. 

Anyway, whether you agree or disagree with my rant is of no consequence … I think we can ALL agree that Gus has a long haul ahead of him and that we ALL send lots of love in his direction and wish him well in his journey.  I do hope the club employs him in some capacity, as the Dees just won’t seem the same without him. He was a great servant of the club!

Go well Gus!!

It's going to be hard to beat this as my choice for post of the year.

Sad news. A determined, courageous and skilled footballer. Humble, intelligent and likeable without the footy boots on.

He will always have 2021 and he did play an important role in the 3rd quarter turaround to help the Dees to their first flag in 57 years!

I hope he considers coaching, seems to have the core qualities in abundance.

Edited February 22, 20241 yr by No. 31

Such sad news - a champion of our club, his deeds in the 2021 Grand Final will never be forgotten - all the best in retirement Gus

38 minutes ago, Demonland said:

 

So given the 5 years and the deteroration post Maynard  The Hit was instrumental in the long term injury and Maynard and the Tribunal are complicit

21 hours ago, deegirl said:

Not to mention the pathetic Collingwood crowd booing as Gus was stretchered off

Worse - it was the Collingwoood chant.

12 hours ago, ElDiablo14 said:

Make no mistake, that thug decided to take a cheap shot at one of our players. Did he intended to end his career? Murder him? Probably not, but he clearly wanted to look "tough".

Absolutely correct - he may not have intended to have ended his career, but no doubt he was intending to leave a bit on Gus. He'll have to live with that - as Gus said, the scans showed that there was a significant damage after the QF.

Pies fans still saying nothing to see here -  Maynard got off. Doesn't make it alright.

 

2 hours ago, biggestred said:

ill point you at gus' statement where it says "a direct result of the incident in the qualifying final" then.

I know the quote.

He has a history of concussions and requiring a long recovery from them. The incident did end his career, but to ignore the impact of his history of long recovery times from them is wrong. 

1 hour ago, Kent said:

Except Angus didnt have a concussion for 5 years prior to the Maynards Hit>

Every single one of us has in effect a quota of serious concussions we can withstand before they start to affect our brains and where continued ones beyond that will lead to CTE. And that quota is different for all of us. 

The time between concussions can make little to no difference as well. It depends on the person

Channel 7, go [censored] yourselves.  Serious.  Join that pit in hell with Maynard and those Collingwood filth.  I hate you.

 

https://7news.com.au/sport/afl/brayden-maynard-abused-online-after-angus-brayshaws-medical-retirement-from-the-afl-c-13696703

59 minutes ago, No. 31 said:

Sad news. A determined, courageous and skilled footballer. Humble, intelligent and likeable without the footy boots on.

He will always have 2021 and he did play an important role in the 3rd quarter turaround to help the Dees to their first flag in 57 years!

I hope he considers coaching, seems to have the core qualities in abundance.

He may well have all the attributes to make a good coach but why would he subject himself to the pressure and stress of coaching ? We all now know that stress has a major impact on health and all types of disease. Perhaps skills base coaching or mentoring but not game day coaching. 
 
Personally, I think he will step away from the MFC and footy to consider his future options but hell there is no hurry. Some form of media role would suit him but I reckon he is better than that. I thought he was studying engineering or something that requires greater intelligence than a media role. With some exceptions footy media is a resting place for morons or for people who could not get a job in the real world.