Knocks to head spell career end for Hawk

A MANUNDA Hawks product has retired at the age of 26 after the fourth concussion of his career.

FNQ junior Sam Michael said he had decided to hang up the boots as he did not want to risk ongoing complications from another head knock.

The former Brisbane and Essendon big man, who turns 27 in July, received an accidental blow to the jaw in a practice match for Geelong’s VFL team against St Mary’s on February 26. Michael said he was diagnosed with concussion at the time but had since made a full recovery.

“Obviously being a ruckman, being a combative position, I’ve had four concussions but there’s been a lot of head knocks aside from the concussions where I haven’t had immediate concussion symptoms, but it all adds up in the end,” Michael said.

“I just thought it was a wise decision to completely finish up from all forms of the game so I could put it beyond doubt that I’d be all right, or hopefully be OK, for the rest of my life and I wouldn’t get any symptoms down the track or side effects.”

Michael was at Brisbane when Justin Clarke, Jonathan Brown and Matt Maguire retired due to concussion.

He told his VFL teammates on Friday he would be retiring.

Michael’s first concussion was as a 14-year-old, followed by one in his first year at Brisbane in 2013 and another at Essendon in 2016.

“To see it in the media is one thing, with a few of the players coming out now with it, but to see it first-hand with ex-teammates makes it a bit more real,” he said. “Combine that with the fact my wife and I are expecting our first baby in September … that’s a huge thing for us and it puts another perspective on football.

“At the end of the day, it’s just a game and you’ve got the rest of your life to live and I didn’t want to compromise my ability to be a father or husband in life. I just wanted to make sure I was 100 per cent … and not risking another head knock and potentially compromising my life.”