FROM the dark clouds that surrounded the club following its 148-point loss to Essendon at the MCG last Saturday night, there were at least a few bright spots to emerge the following day. 

They mightn’t have been noticeable to many, but given one of Melbourne’s regulars from 2012 returned to play his first match of any sorts this year, after overcoming serious concussion issues, was a genuine good news story. 

The fact that Rohan Bail not only played for Casey – but played well, kicking two goals and gaining 20 disposals – was another tick in his return after being sidelined throughout the summer, as he explained.

“It was really fun because we had a good win and it was the club’s first chance to respond from the game on Saturday night,” he told melbournefc.com.au.

“We had a real focus to compete hard with a four quarter performance.

“We came away with a good win and I managed to get a few touches, which was nice as well, so it was really enjoyable.”

The 24-year-old said he was now “back to normal”, but acknowledged that it had been a concern that reared its head again.

“There was the issue last year and I missed a few games, but I came back and played the rest of the season [with] no worries. Pre-season, for two to three months, I was fine. I had a really good pre-season, but then within two or three weeks I got a few head knocks and the doc took a real cautious approach,” he said.

“I went and saw a specialist and he just said ‘I think you should have an extended lay off from no contact’, so I was still able to train and keep fit, but I just couldn’t tackle or anything like that. It was frustrating, watching on in the NAB Cup and the first few rounds of the season, but I played in the VFL and hopefully onwards and upwards from here.

“The only reason I’ve had that extended lay off was so that I wasn’t at risk of getting one again. It’s not because I was feeling bad.”

Bail said the club had taken a very cautious approach when his symptoms resurfaced in the pre-season.

“They’re taking a lot more cautious approach now, because of the awareness around the world in contact sport, but they take it on a case by case basis,” he said.

“Some people haven’t had any before and they have a one off concussion and it’s no worries. But people like myself have had a history of them, so they’ve got to take them case by case and treat them how they see fit, so with me that was just more cautious this pre-season.

“It was more so that I could play out the season no worries, whereas if I had have kept training in the pre-season, maybe I would be hindered now. Luckily we’re still early in the season and hopefully I can come back.”

The versatile Demon said he had spoken to football manager Josh Mahoney about his issues, given the former Magpie, Bulldog and Power forward/midfielder suffered his own concussion issues during his career.

But Bail said it was a complex issue to manage, because “sometimes you’re not sure how you’re feeling”. He added that “it’s only the week or two after you get a concussion that you don’t feel right”.

“I’ve spoken to [football manager] Josh Mahoney, because he’s had a history of it. But the best thing, after you’ve been concussed, is for two days to do nothing. You don’t look at a computer screen, you don’t look at a TV screen and you don’t drive. You basically sit in boredom and it’s like a rehab,” Bail said.

“You get a bit of a headache and feel a bit ‘dinged’ and there is a bit of ringing in the ears and it doesn’t just go away. You just don’t want to focus on one thing for too long, such as reading or TV screens. It’s hard to explain, but it’s not pleasant. You just want to sleep.”

“The doc gives the analogy that it’s like doing a hamstring – you immobilise it for a week, whereas with your brain, two days is probably OK and then after that you should be fine to start getting back into things. I didn’t know that early on. I’d be straight into the car or reading the newspaper and wonder why I felt sick, but I learnt now and hopefully I don’t have to do it again.”

As for any mental hurdles in playing again, Bail said it was not something he considered.

“I don’t worry too much. I don’t sit around and dwell on it,” he said.

“When I’m feeling symptomatic in the week or two after a head knock, I do get worried about a ball hitting me or getting body contact from someone.”

“But now, in the last four weeks, I’ve been fine and I just play footy the way I want to play footy. You can’t control really what happens. There is no point dwelling on it.”

The 36-gamer said he was looking to return and establish a spot back in the side as quickly as possible, with a high half-forward role most likely.

“[I just want] to play my role and bring some speed to the line-up,” Bail said.

“Hopefully go forward and be competitive with the team and we can start winning some games and that would be the aim. Play as many games together as we can.

“If I can rotate through the wings and the midfield, I’m more than happy to do so.”

Bail acknowledged that it had been difficult not being out there with his teammates in the first two rounds, but he was optimistic that the Demons could get their poor start to the year back on track. 

“The first week, round one, was a tough loss. We didn’t put in the effort that we thought we would. Watching from the stands, it was a bit surreal in the second half, but there was nothing you could really do, except offer support to a few guys after the game,” he said.

“Jimmy Toumpas is playing a similar role to me, so I’ve had a word to him and told him to keep his chin up, as an example. [I’ve told him] to keep working, because his work rate’s good.”