Concussion issues end star Swan’s career

Ongoing injury battles have also forced West Coast star and former No.2 draft pick Nic Naitanui into retirement at the age of 33 after 213 games with the Eagles.

McCartin, 27, suffered the 10th concussion of his career in round four against Port Adelaide and hasn’t played since. The blow came after he had revived his career in Sydney having managed just 35 games across five seasons with St Kilda due to repeated head knocks.

Having already decided to sit out the rest of the 2023 amid ongoing discussions with doctors, an independent AFL medical concussion panel recommended that McCartin cease participation in contact sport and he subsequently made his decision.

“I am obviously disappointed that I’m no longer able to continue to do what I love, but I have to be guided by the specialists and I know that this is the right decision for me,” McCartin said.

“I want to thank the Sydney Swans for the faith shown in me and the opportunity to pursue my dream of playing AFL football. It has been a privilege to play for this great club and I will remember this time fondly.

“I want to especially thank Lucy, my family, teammates, coaches and medical staff for their wonderful support through this challenging period – I’m very grateful.”

McCartin’s retirement ended a 63-game AFL career that started with promise when he was taken as the first pick in the 2014 draft.

He was delisted by St Kilda at the end of the 2019 season to deal with concussion issues and following a year out of the game, McCartin relocated to Sydney, where his younger brother Tom was playing for the Swans, in 2021 to play with the VFL side.

Drafted as a key forward to the Saints, McCartin made the move to defence for the second phase of his career and signed a rookie contract by the Swans for 2022.

Working as a dynamic duo, the McCartin brothers played then an integral role in the Swans’ march to last year’s grand final as key pillars in the backline.

But after just 28 matches in red and white, and only four this season, McCartin will hang up his boots.

Naitanui, a two-time West Coast best and fairest who was taken second pick in the 2008 draft, joins fellow Eagles veterans Luke Shuey and Shannon Hurn in retirement, having not played a single game in 2023.

A three-time All-Australian, Naitanui has been battling an achilles injury that ultimately required surgery several weeks ago and said his body had told him it was time to walk away.

“I feel like I have exhausted every avenue to work my way through my injury, but my body is sending a strong message that it is time,” Naitanui said.

“You never want this day to come, but it always does and I’m content in the knowledge that I have given it everything.

“Being a power athlete who has relied on my ability to jump throughout my career, this injury was probably going to take that away from me.

“I am also looking at a lengthy rehabilitation from my latest surgery and there are no guarantees of making it back to AFL level even if everything goes to plan. I have given it a lot of thought in the last few weeks and this is the best decision for the club, myself and my family.

“I would also like to thank the club for the opportunity, the enormous amount of support I have received along the journey and the lifelong friendships that have been created.”

Originally published as Sydney’s Paddy McCartin and West Coast’s Nic Naitanui retire from AFL