MY MAN’S BRAIN BATTLE
EX-CAT’S WIFE TACKLES FOOTY CONCUSSIONS
THE wife of AFL concussion casualty John Barnes has pleaded for the partners of other players battling concussion-related brain injuries to come forward and seek help.
Rowena Barnes, 47, is forming a partners’ support group ahead of a looming Federal Court damages action against the AFL and clubs.
“I just know that the man I married 24 years ago is not the same person today,” Mrs Barnes said. “We believe John’s (epilepsy) seizures are caused by concussions suffered during his playing days and want other people to know that they’re not alone.
“The support group will encourage people to come forward and not suffer in silence like we’ve had to over the last five years.”
The legal team behind the damages action yesterday revealed it had written to the league seeking access to foot- age from every game involving all players who have joined the proceedings.
Barnes, Brownlow champ John Platten and former Demons high-flyer Shaun Smith are the first three plaintiffs in the case led by lawyer and Adelaide United chairman Greg Griffin and veteran player agent Peter Jess.
“A picture is worth a thousand words,” Mr Jess said.
“It is essential that we can clearly demonstrate from the footage what happened, how it happened and what the followup was if the player returned to the field after suffering a collision-based injury.”
Mr Griffin says papers will be lodged with the Federal Court next year.
Emails reveal Mrs Barnes contacted the AFL Players’ Association in 2014 to raise con- cerns about her husband’s health.
Barnes, a member of Essendon’s 2000 premiership team and a Geelong player from 1992-1999, fears his battles with epilepsy, memory loss and anger are linked to head knocks suffered throughout his 202-game career.
AFL chief medical officer Dr Peter Harcourt wrote to Barnes in November 2015 after he reported his symptoms as part of a past player concussion survey.
Barnes was told “a consultation with one of our specialists will be arranged in due course to address either your concussion history or any ongoing symptoms”.
Two years later, Mrs Barnes says this has not happened.
Mr Jess said the Barnes’ emails exposed the AFL’s con- cussion ssi screening of 500 past players as “manifestly inadequate”.
“One has to wonder how many of these players symptoms were ignored or misdiagnosed like John Barnes,” Mr Jess said.
“A full independent review should be conducted to protect the welfare of these past players. It is a systemic failure of the highest order that highlights the total lack of care in this very serious health issue.”
Mrs Barnes is adamant about a link between head knocks and neurological impairments.
“Definitely. John had three broken jaws in such a short period of time, numerous concussions, and they would send them straight back onto the ground in his day,” she said.
“I’m not a doctor or an expert but you don’t need to be Einstein to work out that was probably not the correct procedure.”
St Vincent’s head of neurology, Professor Mark Cook, who assessed Barnes, said it was clear repeated head knocks could cause brain injury and that could cause seizures.
Mr Jess said videos promoting heavy collisions like Bumps, Biffs and Brawlers, released by Channel 7 in 2001, underscored the prevailing culture at the time.
“It almost encouraged the gladiatorial side of the game, completely ignoring the health and safety of the participants,” he said. “Now we are dealing with the consequences that flowed from that.”
Wives and partners suffering similar experiences can visit concussionmatters.com.au.