Paddy to wear a helmet!

[shrodes]

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/it-did ... 5849de25bb

[L]uckless Saints forward Paddy McCartin will wear a helmet as he looks to solve the concussion issues that have interrupted his career.

“I don’t know (how long he will wear it for), it is just something that Paddy has decided to do,” St Kilda coach Alan Richardson told reporters at a press conference at RSEA Park on Friday morning.

“The reality is, all the research suggests that it doesn’t help much, but if you were to ask Angus Brayshaw it didn’t do him any harm.

“Nathan Burke, a former champion of our footy club, has spoken to our doctors and said exactly the same thing — while the research doesn’t suggest much, the player feels a bit more confident and that’s pretty important.

“We’re really pleased to have Paddy back.”

[bigcarl]

Good. Should have tried this a year ago.

I’ve heard all the science on it and I’m not convinced it doesn’t help. Would you rather be smashed in the face by bare knuckles or by someone wearing boxing gloves?

[saynta]

Good.

[wasoncestkil58]

Anything is worth a try.

[DJ Higgins]

about time. Concussion is caused by brain getting moved in your head, usually from a knock. If you wear a helmet, it absorbs some of the impact of a blow or knock in some cases. not all but some. It also cushions the head when it hits the ground and lengthens the time of the impact. Of course it doesn't work 100% of the time. e.g. Mike Tyson punching you in the head, your going to sleep regardless of head gear.
Plus what is the worse it can do. He was never shying away from contests so any argument saying he will go in harder now thinking he is bullet proof and get hurt is not true.
I just hope he has worked on his fitness and kicking as him getting concussed was not the thing that I didn't like about him, its his general skill level.

[sunsaint]

his last injury was reported as whiplash
a helmet wont affect these types of injury
Im all for trying anything - but if his confidence is down the distraction of wearing a helmet may effect him even more so

[BringBackMadDog]

his last injury was reported as whiplash
a helmet wont affect these types of injury
Im all for trying anything - but if his confidence is down the distraction of wearing a helmet may effect him even more so

Actually the club clarified that there were concussion symptoms in his last injury

[saynta]

his last injury was reported as whiplash
a helmet wont affect these types of injury
Im all for trying anything - but if his confidence is down the distraction of wearing a helmet may effect him even more so

Actually the club clarified that there were concussion symptoms in his last injury

It certainly did.

[parkeysainter]

Great move. He has been alright this year Paddy. Maybe it will be a turning point, same as when Riewoldt famously took off his shoulder strappings many years back as a young fella.

[MC Gusto]

I was literally just thinking about this the other night! About bloody time..anything is worth a shot we have to keep him on the field

[Goose is king]

About time. It has to do something. Let’s say the helmet is 25mm thick it must protect to a point as if the padding was 100 Meters thick you could get hit with a baseball bat and feel nothing. That’s my logic to believing it has to help to a point

[Enrico_Misso]

At least he won't get pregnant.

[parkeysainter]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/t ... afe378de1b

Phil Narkle...my hero!!! What a helment!!!

[the dome]

This could be the 1%er that has a great outcome.
I'm relieved Paddy has seen fit to try the helmet. If it helps Paddy chalk up more games in a row it helps him.

GO S A I N T S

[wally]

Good to see some love for Paddy and some positivity.

[saynta]

Go Paddy. Go Saints.

[stonecold]

Hopefully it works and when he's finished with it can lend to a couple of particular posters on here!!!!

[perfectionist]

As long as he doesn't put it on backwards!

[asiu]

Hopefully it works and when he's finished with it can lend to a couple of particular posters on here!!!!

do we have issues with under the table concussions around here ?

[saint6709]

I wrote this in a Paddy thread early in the season - get him in a helmet - can't believe it's taken this long -- I personally would like to see him take another extended break to work purely on health and fitness worry about footy once those things are a little better - even if that's not till next year

[Joffa Burns]

One would assume significant work is being done on his technique.

In the latest incident, for not the first time, he went head first to the contest when there was no need to do so.

[spiral3]

One would assume significant work is being done on his technique.

In the latest incident, for not the first time, he went head first to the contest when there was no need to do so.

absolutely right, isn't smart with his head in collisions
fixing his poor technique will remove more risk than the helmet
glad to see him it in for the time being though, if he can play the rest of the year without getting injured we'll have a much better sense of his ability

heard Burkey talking about helmets on SEN the other week, said they didn't make him braver, as he was still very concerned about getting hit in the face/teeth with the helmet on
his concussion issues were mainly from glancing blows so the helmet helped a lot

[sunsaint]

his last injury was reported as whiplash
a helmet wont affect these types of injury
Im all for trying anything - but if his confidence is down the distraction of wearing a helmet may effect him even more so

Actually the club clarified that there were concussion symptoms in his last injury

Then he has had second thoughts about it....
https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/paddy- ... ee4de15dfb

[parkeysainter]

Paddy is pretty fearless and has obviously played with little regard for himself since he starting playing as a kid. Its very admirable also given his diabetes condition.

As much as he has probably worked on not trying to go in head first to contests, its a natural kind of instinct and in the heat of the moment or through tiredness, the mind isn't always thinking straight...hence the concussions.

I copped a couple of head and face injuries myself playing footy because I stupidly thought I was indestructible above the neck. Bad mistake going in head first!

[Leo.J]

The science on helmets and concussions comes from other sports, most of it has been done in sports where they wear hard helmets.

There’s been no studies that I’m aware of that have been undertaken specifically with AFL players, soft helmets and concussions.

Padding between a collision of two hard surfaces reduces the impact. So it would have to reduce some concussions, not all, but some.

Wear a helmet Paddy.