Poor Paddy: Season Over (career, too?)

[Sainternist]

Looks like his 2019 season has come to a very premature end. He just can't get a break. Too fragile. The horse seems to have bolted. It only seems inevitable that his AFL career will also come to a premature end. Even if they allowed him to wear an American Football helmet and an astronaut suit, he'd still only get concussions. Sports medicine seems to dictate that he can't return without this recurring. Stick a fork in him, he's done. If anyone has an argument to suggest it's not the case, please enlighten me as to how his can make a comeback!!

https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-04-29/ ... out-season

[thejiggingsaint]

Let's just hope that the lad's health improves.

[Linton Lodger]

I fear its the end. Another development year lost. The best learning is playing.

[spert]

Paddy is good guy and should have long life ahead of him- get him into the umpiring system and out of contact sport.

[Special]

Just cut off the band aid so we can move on. Poor guy needs to build his future elsewhere. Sad story.

[Sainternist]

Can someone tell me how many years he has left on his contract?

[shrodes]

Can someone tell me how many years he has left on his contract?

Contracted until end of 2020 I believe.

[SaintPav]

Is this official or just your guess?

[Sainternist]

Is this official or just your guess?

Well, it's pretty much official we won't see him in action this year. All it took was one knock to the head in the pre-season. This has been a recurring theme since 2016. It seems like the game is too much of a danger to his own safety. In the last couple of years, we've had Sean Dempster and Coby Stevens forced into making the choice of retiring from the game for the same reason. I just can't see the lad continuing. Of course, there are talks of developing him into a defender. Perhaps this could be his opportunity to still play. Either way, it would be a gamble he'd have to be willing to take with his own health at stake.

[samuraisaint]

That is quite a lot of players who may not in all probability play at all this season:
Paddy
Dylan
Dan
Big Jake
Logan
Max
Long list - with a fair bit of talent there.

Out for a while:
Gears
Lonie
Steven

Unlucky for us, the fans, but a good place to be if you're a young kid who wants a chance, or a mature age rookie on his last roll of the dice.
Well, one thing is for sure, the list is really going to get turned over and every one on it should be getting looked at.

If we win one match out of the next three with this list of absentees we are officially in this season up to our necks.

[The_Dud]

I think it’s time to move on from Paddy. Chalk it up to another in a long line of mistakes/bad luck in the last few years.

[silverhalo]

The evidence that he cannot handle these constant concussions is the fact that he's still feeling the effects of the last incident that put him out. There really didn't seem to be much in that and I would go so far as to say that a good percentage of players would have got up, dusted themselves off and kept going.

It's now got to the point that I've got my heart in mouth when it looks like Paddy might cop a knock - the kid is still young, he's got a long future ahead of him and I'd hate to see him sustain long term damage from these knocks. It's just one of those things, Paddy needs to move on, yeh we 'wasted' a number 1 pick but c'est la vie...these things happen.

[Yorkeys]

If he did not have so much money at stake and a taste for being an AFL footballer I doubt there would be any doubt. I can guess why he doesn't want to pull the pin but this can't go on much longer, surely. I hope the team helps him transition to a new career and his girlfriend and her family stand by him. He would have earned enough for the HECS fee attached to being educated into a good profession. When our recruiting team put most of the key forward/Nick's replacement eggs in the one basket they should have taken out some insurance. Bulldogs for one seem to be able to find talented big men regularly.

[Special]

If he did not have so much money at stake and a taste for being an AFL footballer I doubt there would be any doubt. I can guess why he doesn't want to pull the pin but this can't go on much longer, surely. I hope the team helps him transition to a new career and his girlfriend and her family stand by him. He would have earned enough for the HECS fee attached to being educated into a good profession. When our recruiting team put most of the key forward/Nick's replacement eggs in the one basket they should have taken out some insurance. Bulldogs for one seem to be able to find talented big men regularly.

This is where Bassat needs to step in as Prez along with Finnis and Jack Rush (board member and lefty lawyer) and work out an exit strategy.

[CURLY]

If he did not have so much money at stake and a taste for being an AFL footballer I doubt there would be any doubt. I can guess why he doesn't want to pull the pin but this can't go on much longer, surely. I hope the team helps him transition to a new career and his girlfriend and her family stand by him. He would have earned enough for the HECS fee attached to being educated into a good profession. When our recruiting team put most of the key forward/Nick's replacement eggs in the one basket they should have taken out some insurance. Bulldogs for one seem to be able to find talented big men regularly.

Bulldogs?????? Cmon both playing seconds.

[Joffa Burns]

If he did not have so much money at stake and a taste for being an AFL footballer I doubt there would be any doubt. I can guess why he doesn't want to pull the pin but this can't go on much longer, surely. I hope the team helps him transition to a new career and his girlfriend and her family stand by him. He would have earned enough for the HECS fee attached to being educated into a good profession. When our recruiting team put most of the key forward/Nick's replacement eggs in the one basket they should have taken out some insurance. Bulldogs for one seem to be able to find talented big men regularly.

This is where Bassat needs to step in as Prez along with Finnis and Jack Rush (board member and lefty lawyer) and work out an exit strategy.

This was done a few weeks ago according to a member of his girlfriends family but flatly rejected by Paddy, his family and management.

I personally think he will never play again as the Saints would not take the duty of care risk associated with him continuing & I think the AFL would be monitoring extremely closely, but this is just my opinion.

I have no reason to doubt the information regarding Paddy being offered retirement and payout package, as the source is a very talented athlete who is very supportive of Paddy and wishes him to continue.

[spert]

I played footy years ago with a guy who got a couple of big knocks to the head, and thought that's enough, and gave footy away. I really think that is the sensible move.

[Special]

If he did not have so much money at stake and a taste for being an AFL footballer I doubt there would be any doubt. I can guess why he doesn't want to pull the pin but this can't go on much longer, surely. I hope the team helps him transition to a new career and his girlfriend and her family stand by him. He would have earned enough for the HECS fee attached to being educated into a good profession. When our recruiting team put most of the key forward/Nick's replacement eggs in the one basket they should have taken out some insurance. Bulldogs for one seem to be able to find talented big men regularly.

This is where Bassat needs to step in as Prez along with Finnis and Jack Rush (board member and lefty lawyer) and work out an exit strategy.

This was done a few weeks ago according to a member of his girlfriends family but flatly rejected by Paddy, his family and management.

I personally think he will never play again as the Saints would not take the duty of care risk associated with him continuing & I think the AFL would be monitoring extremely closely, but this is just my opinion.

I have no reason to doubt the information regarding Paddy being offered retirement and payout package, as the source is a very talented athlete who is very supportive of Paddy and wishes him to continue.

Maybe the real reality will set in, unless he’s after more money.

Anyway, he can be put on the LTI in 2020 also and be replaced by another new player with the new rules hopefully

[shanegrambeau]

Purely in legal terms, can St Kilda wask Paddy if he wants to play, he can, only if he signs a waiver (sp?) never to sue the club?

[guitars4]

Purely in legal terms, can St Kilda wask Paddy if he wants to play, he can, only if he signs a waiver (sp?) never to sue the club?

But would it stand up in court if something serious was to happen. We all know his history & the club just cannot take that risk . Of course he want's to continue just ain't gunna happen too much at stake mostly for Paddy but also the club.

[To the top]

So many experts, so little knowledge

What say we give the kid support in his endeavours

No doubt the testing is rigorous - so the remaining symptoms may be minimal plus there is no urgency for him to return to the playing field ahead of ALL symptoms not only not being in evidence but not having been in evidence for a period of time

At this stage this very talented player remains on our List, is a required player and we look forward to his return

So past that, give it a rest

[guitars4]

So many experts, so little knowledge

What say we give the kid support in his endeavours

No doubt the testing is rigorous - so the remaining symptoms may be minimal plus there is no urgency for him to return to the playing field ahead of ALL symptoms not only not being in evidence but not having been in evidence for a period of time

At this stage this very talented player remains on our List, is a required player and we look forward to his return

So past that, give it a rest

I'm no expert & don't profess to be but you don't have to a Philadelphia lawyer to see Paddy has a serious issue with concussion.

[The Fireman]

I can't remember the last time he played

[ace]

Can someone tell me how many years he has left on his contract?

Contracted until end of 2020 I believe.

Not a belief.
Some cretin offered him a contract till the end of season 2020 and Paddy signed it.

[FortiusQuoFidelius]

perhaps Paddy wouldn't have suffered all these concussions if the players up the field were able to deliver the ball into the forward line in a way that he wouldn't have to crash packs... just sayin'