AFL Player 13: Nik Cox - cleared to return! - 11/11

[Beerfish]

Contract Status: Out of contract 2026
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 6, Rick Ross

 

[Skipper_]

Excellent news that he’s still able to have have another crack.

I think we all thought his career was done.

Wish him all the best.

 

[jmoo wan]

you’d be wanting to have a plan B as a matter of some urgency

 

[Atavistic]

Hope to see the Big Dog back playing.

 

[nipst@r]

Is he uncontracted?

Rookie list or train on spot? Seems a wasted spot if it's only slim chance at best that he'd be cleared to play.

Would another club give him a list spot?

 

[Call Me Cake]

Just because he still has a chance to play doesn't mean it has to be with us.

 

[thebigboy]

Hopefully someone in his corner has a word to him about the risk-reward of playing on. It’s hard to walk away from your childhood dream, but it sounds like he’s 1 more concussion away from being out of the league. Life is a lot longer than a footy career

 

[bomberlegend2007]

Hopefully someone in his corner has a word to him about the risk-reward of playing on. It’s hard to walk away from your childhood dream, but it sounds like he’s 1 more concussion away from being out of the league. Life is a lot longer than a footy career

I just wonder if this would be the line of thinking if it were a Caddy, or a Merrett going through this.

 

[thebigboy]

I just wonder if this would be the line of thinking if it were a Caddy, or a Merrett going through this.

It should be for every player, regardless of their status. You hope they’ve got a support network around them who’s looking out for their long-term rather than just their footy career.

As much as we all love the game, it’s only a game. Them & their families have to live with the consequences of repeat concussions.

 

[faible]

Hopefully someone in his corner has a word to him about the risk-reward of playing on. It’s hard to walk away from your childhood dream, but it sounds like he’s 1 more concussion away from being out of the league. Life is a lot longer than a footy career

I imagine that’s what the concussion panel has discussed with him, they’ve already medically retired one player this year so they’re not opposed to doing it where it’s necessary.

 

[BomberManU]

Good luck to him, hell of a thing to have hanging over you.
I'm no concussion expert, but I'd be staggered if he's ever cleared to play again - the forced retirements are well documented, but have many actually returned to their sport and lasted?

 

[Vander18]

Good news for Nik but I fear this story only has one ending.

Hope I’m wrong but think we are just delaying the inevitable.

 

[naraku]

Surprising but good luck to Nik.

 

[ghostdog]

It should be for every player, regardless of their status. You hope they’ve got a support network around them who’s looking out for their long-term rather than just their footy career.

As much as we all love the game, it’s only a game. Them & their families have to live with the consequences of repeat concussions.

Agreed. Needs to know when to hold em and know when to fold em.

His heart chose hold em. My brain says fold em.

 

[Howard Moon]

you’d be wanting to have a plan B as a matter of some urgency

Just do plan A but better?

 

[Ambrosia]

Who is on this panel?

He needs to be medically retired and protected from himself.

 

[Beerfish]

Who is on this panel?

He needs to be medically retired and protected from himself.

Obviously not experts with access to all the available information like yourself.

 

[Ambrosia]

Obviously not experts with access to all the available information like yourself.

Most of the guys who've medically retired have done so too late though imo.

For example Picken, Vennables and Murphy off the top of my head all speak of ongoing issues affecting their day to day life related to their concussions which to me means they retired too late.

Obviously a player retiring and not suffering from ongoing issues isn't news so perhaps I should give the panel more credit.

 

[faible]

Most of the guys who've medically retired have done so too late though imo.

For example Picken, Vennables and Murphy off the top of my head all speak of ongoing issues affecting their day to day life related to their concussions which to me means they retired too late.

Obviously a player retiring and not suffering from ongoing issues isn't news so perhaps I should give the panel more credit.

The Panel has come in after Picken and Venables. It was established in 2023:

https://resources.afl.com.au/afl/document/2023/03/12/134a48f5-9206-4dd4-b88b-426dd1ea7b31/AFL-and-AFLW-Concussion-Guidelines-March-2023-FINAL-.pdf

Murphy was advised to retire by the panel:

Murphy ponders next move after retiring on concussion advice

Collingwood defender calls it quits following head knock sustained in 2023 Grand Final

www.afl.com.au

McGovern was said to be 'forced' to retire by the panel:

Eagles great forced to retire after latest concussion

West Coast champion Jeremy McGovern has played his last game, following an assessment by the AFL's concussion panel

www.afl.com.au

 

[Happyskeret]

So is still doing non contact training?

 

[Ambrosia]

The Panel has come in after Picken and Venables. It was established in 2023:

https://resources.afl.com.au/afl/document/2023/03/12/134a48f5-9206-4dd4-b88b-426dd1ea7b31/AFL-and-AFLW-Concussion-Guidelines-March-2023-FINAL-.pdf

Murphy was advised to retire by the panel:

Murphy ponders next move after retiring on concussion advice

Collingwood defender calls it quits following head knock sustained in 2023 Grand Final

www.afl.com.au

McGovern was said to be 'forced' to retire by the panel:

Eagles great forced to retire after latest concussion

West Coast champion Jeremy McGovern has played his last game, following an assessment by the AFL's concussion panel

www.afl.com.au

It does seem like I'm ill informed but my point RE Murphy still stands.

 

[faible]

It does seem like I'm ill informed but my point RE Murphy still stands.

Players still have internal club doctors they deal with as well, so it'll be a mixture of club doctor advice, concussion panel advice, and the player themselves deciding whether they're willing to take a risk.

With McGovern is sounds like the panel took it out of his hands, I assume Cox is probably one more incident from being in the same position.

AFAIK Cox hadn't had a concussion prior to the incident last year?

 

[jmoo wan]

Just do plan A but better?

more concussions? that’s just crazy enough to work!

 

[Old Campaigner]

So is still doing non contact training?

The strength and conditioning team have been hard at work drafting an individualised training program for him

 

[joey_jo_jo]

more concussions? that’s just crazy enough to work!

I believe you develop a natural immunity to it over time.

 

[Zach Package]

Players still have internal club doctors they deal with as well, so it'll be a mixture of club doctor advice, concussion panel advice, and the player themselves deciding whether they're willing to take a risk.

With McGovern is sounds like the panel took it out of his hands, I assume Cox is probably one more incident from being in the same position.

AFAIK Cox hadn't had a concussion prior to the incident last year?

2 concussion incidents that I can recall last year, Feb and August, IIRC he missed part of pre season because of concussion protocols.