Tom McCartin has suffered another concussion, adding to his family’s terrible AFL history with head knocks.
Sydney also lost Justin McInerney to a hamstring injury and several teammates were sore after Sunday’s pulsating two-point win over St Kilda at the SCG.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Tom McCartin goes down with another concussion
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McCartin bravely went back with the flight of the ball in the third term and Saints small forward Liam Ryan cannoned into his back.
Swans coach Dean Cox revealed there was no assessment for McCartin before he was ruled out of the game.
“If you are out for a period, you fall straight into the concussion protocols,” Cox said.
McCartin has missed 15 games through concussion, most recently last year.
His brother Paddy was forced to retire prematurely three years ago because of his concussion history.
“He’s obviously disappointed, but he feels fine,” Cox said.
“The doctors ruling him out was obviously the right thing to do, and now it’s about making sure we look after his health.
“By all reports he’s in great spirits, so that’s the first thing.
“But we understand he’s concussed and we’ll manage that accordingly.”
McInerney will go for scans and the Swans are bracing for bad news, given he could not return to the ground.
“Obviously, not finishing the game doesn’t look great,” Cox said.
With McCartin on the bench for much of the second half, and fellow backmen Lewis Melican and Dane Rampe also out of the game, Cox was rapt that younger defenders such as Harry Kyle were able to step up and hold the Saints at bay.
Speaking before the game, 7Sport’s Tom Morris reported that Sydney have offered a contract extension for as many as six years, which would tie him to the club until 2033.
Those contract negotiations will become particularly interesting now given McCartin’s latest concussion.
“They see him as potentially their most important player in defence, and that is why they are so keen to keep him,” Morris said before Sunday’s game.
“These discussions are very early. The fact they’ve offered that deal gives you an indication of how much they love him.”
