Former West Coast coach Adam Simpson admits he is somewhat glad the AFL has taken the decision surrounding Jeremy McGovern’s return out of his hands, given his sheer toughness.
McGovern has been sidelined indefinitely due to ongoing concussion symptoms and has suffered multiple across his career.
Because of this, the AFL Concussion Panel will now effectively decide if he is ever cleared to return to the game.
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Jeremy McGovern and Adam Simpson AFL Photos via Getty Images
In just the last few years, the AFL has seen Melbourne premiership player Angus Brayshaw, Brisbane defender Marcus Adams, Collingwood players Nathan Murphy and Josh Carmichael and teenage Western Bulldogs draftee Aiden O’Driscoll retire prematurely due to the lasting effects of concussion.
Simpson told a story about McGovern playing in the 2018 grand final with what would later be revealed to be torn muscles off his hip and internal bleeding suffered in the preliminary final.
He did this to emphasise the fact that the AFL has made a good decision in taking the power out of the hands of players.
“I just hope people in the east understand how good this player is,” Simpson told SEN on Thursday.
“I think we do, but if he was based in Victoria, it would be another level up. The way he plays has sort of changed the game a little bit.
“The 2018 grand final, he got hit in a prelim and had internal bleeding. His organs during the week, he goes ‘I’m running, but it’s slushing around’ and it’s the blood around the organs.
“When you hear that, you start to think he’s not going to play, and I see him running and it’s like running while being winded at the same time.
“We flew him over and we had the grand final parade and we were doing a fitness test and he got through it, I don’t know how, and I’m sure the doctors wouldn’t have risked death, but he put his hand up.
McGovern dumping Gatorade on coach Adam Simpson after the 2018 grand final. Getty
“He couldn’t do the (grand final parade) car, he didn’t want to do it. He’s said he’s too sore. And the AFL wouldn’t let us start until he got there.
“So we were half an hour late starting because they said were were going to get fined $50,000 if he didn’t get in the stupid car.
“Eventually he got there and he played in the grand final and he played just exactly how he normally plays.
“That last play of the game is what he does all the time.”
McGovern was a key part of the epic finish to the 2018 grand final, intercepting an Adam Treloar kick inside 50 to begin the miracle passage of play that ended with Dom Sheed’s match-winning goal.
Jeremy McGovern putting on a brave face during the 2018 grand final parade. Getty
He took nine marks from 14 disposals in the game … and also broke his ribs during the grand final on top of everything else.
“He’s a special individual and he’s brave to a fault. I’m sort of glad what’s happening now has been taken out of his hands and the AFL has done a good job at the assessment piece of taking it out of the players’ hands,” Simpson said.
“Because they will still put their hand up to play.”
Simpson admits that he is a “little bit” concerned we’ve seen the last of McGovern at AFL level.
“That’s just the care factor. He’s 32. It needs to be assessed. Whatever decision is made is the right decision,” he said.
McGovern has had an extraordinarily decorated AFL career, making five All-Australian teams between 2016 and 2024, winning a club best and fairest and, of course, the 2018 premiership.
He has played 191 career games for the Eagles since being selected in the 2011 rookie draft.
