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Welcome back to Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast. Today, we're thrilled to be joined by Hamish Brayshaw.

Hamish is a former AFL player who now stars in the WAFL with East Perth, where he serves as co-captain. In 2023, he was honoured with the Sandover Medal, recognising him as the league’s best player.

His impact on the game extends beyond the field—Hamish has lent his expertise as a midfield coach for the West Coast Eagles’ AFLW team. Off the field, he’s also made his mark as a columnist for The West Australian and as a key voice on the widely loved BackChat podcast.

- How you become involved in footy

- Your Perception and Understanding of Concussion (03:00)

- Family’s Experiences of Concussion (04:29)

- Hamish Approach to Playing (07:45)

- Implementation of AIS Stand down Policy and Personal Concussions (09:43)

- The Open Letter to the AFL (14:18)

- Football Act vs Suspension? (16:22)

- Complexities of Rule Adaptations and Changing the Way You Play (19:00)

- Favorited Memories and Moments in Footy? (25:30)

Hamish Open Letter: https://www.backchatpodcast.com.au/hamishs-open-letter

Back Chat Social Media Channels

Website https://www.backchatpodcast.com.au

IG: @backchat_

Youtube: @backchat

Twitter/X: @backchat_

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Twitter: @first concussion

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Welcome back to headfirst: A Concussion Podcast. Today we have the honour and privilege to be hosting Nick Rushworth.

Nick Rushworth is the Executive Officer of Brain Injury Australia, a position he has held since 2008. Before joining Brain Injury Australia, Nick worked for the Northern Territory Government setting up their Office of Disability whilst also formerly a producer with the Nine Television Network’s “Sunday” program and ABC Radio National, where Nick’s journalism has won a number of awards, including a Silver World Medal at the 2003 New York Festival, a National Press Club and TV Week Logie Award.

Nick’s current primary focus is facilitating a national “community of practice” in brain injury for the National Disability Insurance Agency. Furthermore, Nick serves as a consumer representative for numerous organisations some of these include but not limited to: Mission for traumatic brain injury: A medial research future fund-initiative providing $50 million in federal government funding over 10 years), the Australian Trauma Quality Improvement Program Steering Committee; the Victorian Neurotrauma Advisory Council; the Executive of the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Directorate of New South Wales Health; the Victorian Transport Accident Commission/ Monash University Institute for Safety, Compensation and Recovery Research Behaviours of Concern Project; the Monash Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre Advisory Board; the Disability Advisory Committee of the Australian Electoral Commission;

Nick is also a Director of the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations, and is an Ambassador for the National Organisation for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and the Queensland Brain Institute’s concussion research.

In April 2024 Nick was appointed to the Australia Government Medical Research Traumatic Brain Injury Mission Expert Advisory Panel.

- How Nick Become Involved in the Brain Injury and Concussion Space? (02:30)

- Ways the mTBI/ concussion space has change since late 1990’s to now? (04:10)

- Differences in Mild, Moderate and Severe Traumatic Brain Injury (06:37)

- Raising Awareness of mild Traumatic Brain Injury outside of Sports-Related Concussion (12:05)

- Indigenous Australian’s and Concussion/mTBI (17:02)

- Incidences Rates of mTBI (20:30)

- Language Around mTBI (22:30)

- Falls in the Elderly (23:51)

- Difficulties When Talking About Policy Changes and Research Grants? (27:34)

- Brain Injury Australia (33:00)

Brain Injury Australia: https://www.braininjuryaustralia.org.au

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Twitter: @first concussion

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Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com

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Welcome back to Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast. Today, we're honoured to be joined by Professor Dominic Malcolm, a leading expert in the Sociology of Sport from Loughborough University. As Director of Doctoral Programmes and former editor of the International Review for the Sociology of Sport, Professor Malcolm's work explores the critical intersections of sport, medicine, and health. His recent research delves into how the media shapes public understanding of concussion and CTE. With over 100 publications and nearly 5,000 citations, his contributions continue to shape both academic thought and real-world practice.

- How Professor Malcom Become Involved in Sociology and Concussion (02:00)

- What is a Concussion (03:45)

- Book The ‘Concussion Crisis” (06:00)

- Sociocultural Aspects of Concussion (10:08)

- Dementia & Mental Health in Society (12:00)

- CTE and the Social Determinants

- Concussion in Sports: It’s Time to Drop the Tobacco Analogy (18:30)

- Why Did We Compare Concussion/ CTE to Smoking? (23:50)

- How to Access Both Sides of the Academic Debate (25:45)

- Repetitive Head Impacts in Soccer/ Football (30:00)

- Dementia in Society (34:30)

- Main Message (36:30)

Domonic Malcom:

https://www.lboro.ac.uk/schools/sport-exercise-health-sciences/people/dominic-malcolm/

Twitter/X = @sportsociologis

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=NU4YziMAAAAJ&hl=en

Todays Articles:

Sport-related concussion research agenda beyond medical science: culture, ethics, science, policy: https://jme.bmj.com/content/51/1/68.abstract

Concussion in sport: It's time to drop the tobacco analogy: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S144024402400032X

Subscribe, review and share for new episodes which will drop fortnightly

Social media:

Twitter: @first concussion

Facebook: Headfirst: A concussion podcast

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Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com