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Jack Higgins suffers second AFL concussion

3 minute read

St Kilda forward Jack Higgins's latest bout of concussion means he will not be available for the AFL clash with Adelaide in round 10.

JACK HIGGINS.
JACK HIGGINS. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

St Kilda goal-sneak Jack Higgins will miss a second AFL match this season because of concussion after he was hurt during the 10-point win over Geelong.

There was speculation that a second-quarter bump from Jake Kolodjashnij was solely to blame for Higgins being substituted out of Saturday's Marvel Stadium contest.

But Saints coach Brett Ratten confirmed post-match that Higgins was initially hurt when Tom Stewart spoiled a marking attempt during the first term.

A failed concussion test left St Kilda with no choice but to use their substitution not long before half-time.

"We didn't know (about the first incident) and he just got up but then didn't feel right in the second when he got taken out, so we made that decision then," Ratten said.

It was the second time Higgins has failed to complete a match in 2022 because of concussion.

The 23-year-old also was taken out of the round-three clash with Richmond after he was hurt in a tackle from Hugo Ralphsmith, who was later cleared of wrongdoing.

Higgins missed round four and will now sit out the clash with Adelaide in round 10 under concussion protocols.

The small forward went goalless in round one but kicked 16 goals in seven appearances before the Geelong clash.

In 2019, Higgins underwent two rounds of brain surgery after he had headaches and blurred vision during games.

"We'll do whatever is best for Jack but (the latest incident) just seems like a normal, standard concussion," Ratten said.

"It was just a knock."

St Kilda were down two players late in the second quarter against Geelong when captain Jack Steele suffered a shoulder injury in a crunching Kolodjashnij tackle.

Ratten lauded Steele's bravery to carry on after halftime as the Saints surged home on the back of Paddy Ryder's match-winning display.

"He sort of finds away, Jack, he just wills himself," Ratten said.

"It's a credit to him. It's just another example (of his courage)."

Steele will have scans to determine the extent of the damage and is no certainty to play against Adelaide.

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