Shaun Smith will always be remembered for his mark of the century against the Brisbane Bears, but while fearless attitude was something he prided himself on, though it landed himself in the wrong spot many times.
“I think I was knocked out cold at least seven times and probably 10-15 concussions on top of that,” he told SEN Afternoons.
“I got knocked out quite a bit...only by putting my head in the wrong spot, I never really took a backward step. I was proud of the way I played but it was some pretty dumb stuff looking back on it, but I am proud of the way I played.”
Smith played local footy up until 2012, but after another knock playing for Newlyn – and getting checked out by a professional – he was forced into retirement.
“I got knocked out when I was playing footy in 2012, and I went to go get a few scans from the old North Melbourne doctor. He told me I needed to give it away, he said at my age with the scar tissue I have on my brain, I needed to.”
Smith, who now coaches, says due to his experience with head knocks he is extremely hard on his players if they show anything close to a concussion.
“If any of my boys get a head knock, there day is over. That’s it.”
The 109-gamer says you can’t help but worry when it comes to brain injuries, and does all he can to repair his brain.
“I hear big time now about this type of stuff. Back in those days you didn’t show weakness and if you were knocked out you just kept playing and went on with it,” he said.
“I do worry long term. You hear about dementia and mental illness and all that sort of stuff… I do a lot of word memory games and stuff like that to keep my brain on top of it.”