‘You’ve been nothing but a joke’: Ex-AFL player criticises league over concussion support

Former Western Bulldog Aiden O’Driscoll has opened up on his failed compensation battle with the AFL, claiming the ongoing symptoms and lack of support from the league following his concussion left him “questioning his life”.

In 2024, a freshly drafted O’Driscoll experienced a devastating head knock during a training collision, and suffered multiple brain bleeds.

The scale of the brain injury meant O’Driscoll was forced to medically retire, however his bid for a $600,000 severe-injury payment was rejected by the AFL and the league players’ association.

In a candid Instagram post on Tuesday night, O’Driscoll said the past two years were “the most difficult of my life” and criticised the league for not providing him enough support.

“A lot of people don’t know my life experience in terms of everyday living. The AFL has been an absolute joke towards helping me,” he posted.

“Mentally, I was so exhausted and drained, and it took six weeks for the AFL to find me a psychologist. Through this period, I was grieving the most, it got to the point where I started questioning my life? If it was worth living? I was so close to ending everything, I would’ve been free from all the pain/trauma.”

O’Driscoll praised his family, partner, and friends for supporting him, admitting that only “those close to me know what I’ve been going through”.

“Why does something so cruel happen to an 18-year-old that had a bright future within the game he loved?” he wrote. ” It’s not just the fact that I can’t play AFL again, it’s more so the ongoing effects from this one hit.”

The 21-year-old said he still experiences brain fog, dizziness, depression, nausea, fatigue and memory loss. He said doctors described his concussion – with eight micro brain bleeds and a fracture behind his ear – as “one of the worse (sic) they’d ever seen”.

“I wish I could describe what it’s like in a nutshell, but I could only describe it like losing something in the family, except I’m the one who’s died and had to come back as a new version of ‘Aiden’,” he wrote.

“So, to the AFL: You have been nothing but a joke towards me!

“The last couple of years I’ve experienced nothing but pain, and I’ve explained it multiple times to you.

“You’re supposed to help AFL players through hardship, not leave them with absolutely nothing.”

O’Driscoll’s criticism of the AFL comes at a time where concussions in footy are under a heavy spotlight.

On Tuesday afternoon, Geelong announced premiership defender Jake Kolodjashnij, who was at the centre of a secret concussion deal with the club, had medically retired from AFL football.

In August, Kolodjashnij identified himself as the player at the centre of the deal with Geelong that was aimed at waiving his legal responsibility for future on-field head trauma.

The Cats were hit with a $140,000 fine after the AFL’s independent review by James Peters, KC, found the waiver constituted a variation of Kolodjashnij’s playing contract and should have been lodged so it could be scrutinised by the league and the AFL Players’ Association.

If you or someone you know is in need of support contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. In the event of an emergency dial triple zero (000). Support is also available from MensLine on 1300 78 99 78

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Hannah Kennelly is an award-winning sports reporter and Formula 1 writer at The Age.Connect via email.