Murphy hangs up boots

Concussion panel makes call to retire

Collingwood defender Nathan Murphy says he is “not defined by football” and he is “really excited” about what the future holds after being medically retired from the AFL.

Murphy met the AFL’s expert concussion panel on Saturday, where the curtains came down on his 6½-year career.

While the 24-year-old had been working closely with Magpies backline coach Jordan Roughead to make adjustments to his game in a bid to return to the field, the panel ultimately made a decision which Murphy was “definitely accepting” of.

The 2023 premiership player advised teammates of the news on Tuesday morning.

“The last few months have been really tough but I was guided by medical advice that this was the right decision for me,” Murphy said.

“I’m really grateful that it’s probably come to this because they’re the professionals and I just have to trust their opinions.”

Murphy had suffered 10 concussions during his sporting career and was placed on a modified training program in February after copping another knock during pre-season training.

He had initially been cleared by the AFL’s expert concussion medical panel in December to return to play, but acknowledged it had been a “week-to-week process” since that point.

“You have your some good weeks and you have some bad weeks and so that continued symptoms and that was ultimately why they thought it was the best decision for me to retire at this point in time,” Murphy said.

While he had reached out to former Melbourne midfielder Angus Brayshaw and former Collingwood and Brisbane defender Jack Frost – who were both forced into early retirement due to concussions – Murphy (pictured) said such cases had little bearing on his situation.

“I continued the process we had as a club and as a player and ultimately this has come off the back of how I’ve been feeling and no one else,” he said.

Murphy said he did not worry about his personal health going forward, given the care and advice he had received.

“I think I’ve been so lucky where I’ve been guided by experts and

I’ll continually be guided by experts so I’m really confident that we’ll be OK,” he said.

“Everything’s going to be all right and, to be honest, right now I haven’t really thought about the future.”

The Magpies have described Murphy as “the glue that holds the place together” and are “open-minded” to having him return in an offfield role at the club. Drafted at pick 39 in the 2017 national draft, Murphy ends his career having played 57 games.

He polled one Brownlow Medal vote and kicked one AFL goal during his time.

“I’m so grateful to this amazing club that I was just in the right place at the right time and got to be a part of last year,” he said.