show me:

Saints to consider redrafting McCartin

3 minute read

AFL forward Paddy McCartin claims he's recovering from head injuries with St Kilda coach Brett Ratten open to redrafting the key forward.

PADDY MCCARTIN Picture: Darrian Traynor/AFL Media/Getty Images

St Kilda will consider recalling former No.1 draft pick Paddy McCartin, but only if he's "100 per cent right" after recovering from his head injuries.

The 23-year-old has suffered eight concussions since 2014 and was delisted last year as part of a plan to put his career on hold until at least 2021.

The key AFL forward now feels ready to return to a full training program once coronavirus lockdowns end.

St Kilda coach Brett Ratten admits McCartin's health is improving and he will make a decision about the player's future when the AFL resumes.

"Because of the isolation, we haven't seen Paddy for a while," he told Nine's Footy Classified.

"(McCartin's) been hitting the marks that he has to get on his testing so everything he's doing is really good and positive.

"We have to dig a bit further to see if he's ready to play AFL.

"If he is, then we'll consider him but there needs to be more testing and our doctors need to have a look at him to make sure he's 100 per cent right."

An optimistic McCartin told SEN earlier this week he was in a good place following a harrowing few years.

"The doctors have told me I don't have any greater risk than any other player on an AFL list when I go out and play footy (of) getting concussion," he said.

Last May, the 35-gamer opened up on the horrific impact the brain injuries had had on his life.

"I haven't really done a whole heap, I haven't been doing a lot of anything, really, and that's probably been the hardest part," he told Triple M.

"I've sort of lost my footy identity a little bit, but then also my identity as a person as well."