Dermott Brereton says players must accept the risk of concussion

Herald Sun

Reece Homfray

March 17, 2016

 

Dermott Brereton. Pic: Tricia Watkinson

HAWTHORN legend Dermott Brereton says players must accept the risk of concussion if they choose to play the game.

As the NFL in the United States deals with class action lawsuits from former players suffering from head injuries, Brereton said he expects the AFL to further tighten rules surrounding concussion in its game.

But he says there must be an element of “buyer beware” for players who know the risks posed by the physicality of football.

The five-time premiership player was a guest speaker at The Advertiser/Sunday Mail’s AFL season launch where he revealed he now required a hearing aid after losing 70 per cent of the hearing in his right ear due to repeated head knocks.

Dermott Brereton tackles Michael Schulze.

“There’s no doubt that we don’t know as much as we perhaps will in times to come when there will be all the set parameters and rules,” Brereton said.

“But there has to be a ‘let the buyer beware’ aspect to it.

“We’re not playing table tennis or chess, we go in knowing there is risks involved and part of this physical sport is the risk when you participate on match day, we don’t like to see people get knocked around (but) it occasionally happens.”

Brereton says he has had 24 operations on his body stemming from his 211-game career but was only knocked unconscious twice while playing.

 

Dermott Brereton lost 70 per cent of hearing in his right ear