Unsociable Game Ben Rodin

In the final episode of Season 01 of Unsociable Game, we head to AFL House to speak with the AFL's Peter Harcourt, about just how they are addressing concussion at the game's community levels. Nicole Hayes and Professor John Olver offer some parting thoughts about the future policy direction of the game, while I reflect on what I have learnt over the past few episodes.

Women's Football is one of the fastest growing sports in the country, but due to recent and rapid growth there is a lack of clear data on how to evaluate concussion for new participants.

We speak to Beth Winkler, a member of West Brunswick's inaugural women's playing squad in 2017, about her experiences while Professor John Olver and The Outer Sanctum's Nicole Hayes discuss the thin breadth of material available on women's concussive experiences.

Additional Field Recording by Donna Yeatman with thanks to Nahkita Wolfe for supplying equipment.

After a significant knock, questions ultimately turn to whether you should play on or not. Will Stubbings, Sam Fleming and myself consider this decision, weighing up the various factors in our lives. Professor John Olver offers insight into the medical testing required to confirm that not playing is a suitable decision.

In the last episode, we talked about getting hit, but what happens when the symptoms stay around longer than we anticipate? How does it effect sleeping patterns, workplace behaviours and our ability to perceive the world around us?

Sam Fleming and Will Stubbings continue sharing their stories, while Professor John Olver discusses the science and psychology behind ongoing problems that people face.

What happens when you get hit in the head playing footy? How do you feel? Do you stay out on the field? What’s going on inside the brain?

Three players from West Brunswick Amateur Football Club – Will Stubbings, Sam Fleming and myself, Ben Rodin – talk through our on-field experiences, while Professor John Olver explains what is happening on a neurological and chemical level.

Additional music by Daniel Birch. “The Elevator Game,” from Music for TV, Film and Games Vol. 1 was interpolated into the mix for this episode (00m40s to 1m33s). Courtesy of the Free Music Archive under Creative Commons License.