Former St. Kilda star Justin Coschitz has revealed that he has played “multiple” AFL games that he does not remember ending, when he describes his concerns about the long-term effects of the injury.
Koschitzke has navigated mental health issues since his retirement and there is no doubt that the heavy hits he took in his football career played a role in his later career struggles.
He said there were several matches for the Saints where he played one that was vague, including later driving home from the field.
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“And it’s just ridiculous when you think about it,” Koschitzke told 3AW’s Footy: Then and Now Podcast.
He said he was glad to see so many strict protocols around injuries in modern games.
The build-up of Saturday’s clash between St. Kilda and Gillong at Marvel Stadium reflects on Koschitz, the greatest home and away match of the modern era.
Saints and Cats met at the same venue in Round 14, 2009, both unbeaten then.
St. Kilda wins by a goal in a truly classic encounter.
Towards the end of that year the cats turned the tables on the saints claiming the premiership when it was most important.
Gilong has consistently reached the finals in the following years, when attendance in September was very low for the Saints and was in between.
The decision to take on key players such as Nick Dale Santo, Brendon Goddard and Ben McEvoy was a turning point in the drafting process in subsequent years, Coschitz said.
“I don’t understand it,” he said.
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