Infotainment Factory: Coach's plea after star's 'distressing' head knock

Sydney Swans coach John Longmire has called for calm despite fears over Paddy McCartin's career after yet another head knock.

McCartin was contesting a loose ball on the wing in the first quarter of Sydney's loss to Port Adelaide on Saturday when he went down clutching his head. He was eventually helped off the field by Swans trainers and subbed out of the game.

While McCartin has already suffered nine separate concussions in his career, Longmire said the defender was "OK" after the game and urged people not to rush to conclusions on his future.

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"With all due to respect, straight after the game you'd understand that, let's just take a deep breath," he said.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 08: Paddy McCartin of the Swans receives attention from a trainer during the round four AFL match between Sydney Swans and Port Adelaide Power at Sydney Cricket Ground, on April 08, 2023, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/AFL Photos/via Getty Images )

"We made a decision he didn't get a test or assessment, we just removed him from the game."

Longmire's comments came after Swans football boss Charlie Gardiner said McCartin was "alert and talking" shortly after the incident.

"(He's) obviously disappointed to be out of the game and everyone is concerned about him, but he's feeling OK and recovering well," he said on Seven's AFL coverage.

"We'll take every precaution with him and it's very early but hopefully he recovers from it and gets back out there."

Sydney Swans stars Tom McCartin and Paddy McCartin

Despite the Swans downplaying McCartin's latest head knock, 3AW's Shane McInnes suggested the star's career is "really at the crossroads".

"That's his 10th concussion and it was so innocuous," he told Nine's TODAY.

"To see him leave the ground in the manner which he did, I think we have to be brutally honest when it comes to concussion, I think Paddy McCartin's career is really at the crossroads this morning and we can only wish him well."

McCartin was one of the stories of last season after enjoying a year to remember with the Swans.

The No.1 pick in the 2014 draft, McCartin's career looked all but done when he was delisted at the end of the 2019 season by St Kilda.

The 26-year-old defender took a 12-month break in 2020 and played in the Swans' VFL team a year later before making his AFL return in 2022 after being signed by the Swans.

McCartin enjoyed the strongest season of his career yet last year, playing a career-high 24 games as the Swans reached the grand final.

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