Collingwood midfield-forward Josh Carmichael has reportedly been referred to the AFL’s medical concussion panel due to persistent symptoms from a recent head injury.
Josh Carmichael has been sidelined since early May, following a head injury during a VFL match against Southport in Queensland. The 24-year-old has been dealing with delayed concussion symptoms from a pre-season incident.
In a recent update, Collingwood announced that Carmichael, a 2022 Mid-Season Draft pick, is still undergoing concussion protocols and receiving support from the club and AFL medical teams.
SEN’s Sam Edmund reported that Carmichael’s future remains uncertain due to his ongoing concussion battle. The former West Adelaide star has now been referred to the AFL’s concussion panel for further assessment.
The AFL has already seen three players retire early due to concussion issues, including Carmichael’s teammate Nathan Murphy, who retired in April after a head injury in last year’s grand final. Melbourne premiership player Angus Brayshaw retired before this season, and first-year Bulldog Aiden O’Driscoll was forced to retire just months into his AFL career following a serious pre-season head injury.
Carmichael joined Collingwood mid-2022 after an impressive SANFL season, debuting in the AFL by July. He made six more appearances that year, including in the semi-final win over Fremantle.
He played in the Round 3 match against Richmond last year, his only AFL game of 2023, spending most of the season in the VFL. He managed the first six games at the state league level this year before further concussion issues arose.
