Following recent discussion about concussion injuries, forward coach Josh Mahoney reflects on his battle with head-high knocks as player

THERE has been much discussion recently about head high contact and concussion, with some suggesting that helmets may be the answer.

I think that I am quite well placed to comment on this issue, based on the fact that I suffered a high number of head high collisions and am a member of the small group of AFL ‘Helmet Heads’.

This is my story.

As a youngster, I played with not much regard for my safety. Like most young players, I had not learned the art of protecting myself and my mentality of ‘leading with my head’ caused me to end many games on the sidelines with a headache.

Following a few too many knocks, it was decided that I should start wearing a helmet, which I did through under 16s and 18s.

During that time, I still received knocks and still ended games early.

After finishing school and playing in the under 18 competition, I went on to play in the VFL.

The VFL has changed dramatically over the past 15 years.

In 1996, it was not a league about developing young talent for the AFL - the reserves did that - instead, the VFA was a hard competition filled with tough, hardened men.

My helmet didn’t last long. It was suggested to me that wearing a helmet in the VFA was like wearing a sign on my head saying ‘Hit Me’ and it was advised that I put it away, which I did.

My football journey then headed to Collingwood where the ‘helmet discussion’ would again be ignited.

In two consecutive games, I was knocked out playing for Collingwood reserves.

What developed was that whenever I received a knock, which did not necessarily have to be hard, but just in the right spot, I would develop a migraine.

This migraine would start almost immediately, first with some speckles of fluorescent light in my vision, next tingling in my fingertips and lips, then the inability to focus on my vision.

I actually still feel this now as I am thinking about it.

Next was the nausea. I would then be confined to my darkened bedroom for 24-48 hours following each knock, vomiting and sleeping.

On the second occasion, it was so bad that I was unable to communicate and was taken to hospital for scans.

It was decided by the then Collingwood coaching staff that the only way I was to continue playing was by wearing a helmet, which Danny Frawley and Tony Shaw announced to the playing group, whilst both wearing a helmet of their own.

After wearing a helmet for a couple of years at Collingwood, then the Western Bulldogs, I was still getting migraines from knocks.

This was the first time that I was introduced to the idea of seeing a chiropractor for my migraines.

As with all new patients, the first visit involves an X-ray of your spine. When the chiropractor looked at mine, he was able to show a potential reason for my migraines - my spine was out of alignment.

I visited the chiropractor every two weeks, initially to help with this issue, and I was able to see some immediate results.

Part through desperation to try something to gain some form and part through the confidence I was gaining from seeing the chiropractor, I lined up without my helmet in a game down at Frankston. This shocked some of my teammates, who screamed at me prior to the first bounce that I had forgotten something.

These visits became part of my preparation for games.

When I was at Port Adelaide, I would see a chiropractor before and after each game.

In the eight years of playing football after seeing the chiropractor, and taking my helmet off, I had a total of approximately 10 migraines.

It was well down from the one per month that was happening when at their worst.

My migraines also became less severe and I was able to control many of the triggers, by identifying them early and having medication on the bench if I felt one developing.

I was able to survive my AFL career without any major injuries, but the battle with migraines was always present. For me helmets did not work, for me it was regular visits to the chiropractor, knowledge of triggers and technique that allowed me to keep playing.