Former Western Bulldogs draftee Aiden O'Driscoll, who retired without playing a senior AFL game after suffering eight brain bleeds and a fractured skull in a training concussion, says an AFL-ordered clinical assessment branding his injury a 'mild' traumatic brain injury has left him shocked and blocked his bid for a $600,000 severe injury payout.
O'Driscoll, now 21, retired at 18 in May 2024 after a head-on-head collision during a pre-season match simulation session. He suffered a seizure, a fracture behind his ear, and an MRI later revealed eight brain bleeds. The AFL's independent concussion panel medically retired him.
He received a career-ending injury payment of more than $150,000 in 2024, but his application for a severe injury benefit (SIB) payment of $600,000 was rejected this year by the AFL and AFL Players' Association, which found he did not meet the criteria. The decision was based on a neuropsychological assessment report completed in Perth in March that concluded O'Driscoll suffered only a “mild TBI [traumatic brain injury]”.
An AFL medical panel's report in April 2024 had declared that “Aiden has more micro-haemorrhages than the panel has seen in other athletes”.
O'Driscoll told this masthead he struggles with daily memory loss, nausea, anxiety, dizziness and difficulty sleeping. “It [mild assessment] does not add up. My memory for basic things is shocking, really bad. It has progressively got worse over time. It’s a horrible thing for a 21-year-old to go through,” he said. “The basic things I forget. I obviously can’t live a normal life.”
Agent Peter Jess, a prominent concussion campaigner, called the assessment flawed. “The medical classification for Aiden’s type of injury is moderate/severe TBI, not a mild brain trauma as assessed … the assessment is flawed and cannot be relied upon,” Jess said.
The neuropsychological report noted O’Driscoll’s pre-existing ADHD and dyslexia diagnoses and stated he displayed variability across cognitive results at baseline, with weaknesses on memory tasks. At 41 days post-injury, formal testing showed largely stable results compared to baseline, though memory scores were slightly weaker. The report said his basic attention, processing speed, visual spatial skills and executive functions were broadly at age-expected levels on the current assessment, but vulnerabilities were apparent with working memory and mental flexibility.
AFL chief medical officer Michael Makdissi, in a discharge summary letter dated May 18, 2026, did not comment on the mild TBI assessment. He noted O'Driscoll had not attended his final case review and that his request to have Jess accompany him was “deemed inappropriate” by the league. Makdissi said O'Driscoll's current work capacity is limited due to ongoing symptoms.
The AFLPA said in a rejection letter that O'Driscoll had not demonstrated a “permanent impairment of cognitive function”, meaning his future earning capacity would not be reduced by at least 40 per cent. Jess described that claim as “nonsense” and said he had already begun examining legal action against several parties.
The AFLPA declined to comment because of confidentiality reasons. The AFL was contacted for comment. O'Driscoll said the experience had been traumatic and very difficult. “When it first happened, I just wanted to get back out there and keep playing. I wasn’t affected a heap, but it got to six months down the line, that’s when I started to feel it,” he said.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The case highlights the gap between medical evidence of severe brain trauma and the administrative criteria used to determine compensation for retired athletes.
- If the mild TBI assessment stands, it could set a precedent affecting other players' claims for severe injury benefits and disability pensions.
- O'Driscoll's situation raises questions about how the AFL and AFLPA handle concussion-related claims, especially for young players forced out of the game before earning a senior salary.
Background
Aiden O'Driscoll was drafted by the Western Bulldogs but never played a senior AFL match. He suffered a major concussion during a pre-season training session in January 2024, leading to a seizure, a skull fracture, and eight brain bleeds. The AFL's independent concussion panel forced his medical retirement in May 2024. He received an initial career-ending injury payment of over $150,000, but his application for a $600,000 severe injury benefit was rejected. The decision hinges on a neuropsychological assessment that classified his injury as mild, despite the league's own medical panel noting the unusual severity of his micro-haemorrhages.
Key Perspectives
Aiden O'Driscoll: Says the mild assessment does not add up, describing daily memory loss, nausea, and anxiety. “The basic things I forget. I obviously can’t live a normal life.”
Peter Jess (agent): Calls the assessment flawed and says it should be classified as moderate/severe TBI. He argues the rejection sets a dangerous precedent and has begun examining legal action.
AFLPA (in a rejection letter): Found O'Driscoll had not demonstrated a “permanent impairment of cognitive function” that would reduce his future earning capacity by at least 40 per cent.
AFL chief medical officer Michael Makdissi (in a discharge letter): Notes O'Driscoll's limited work capacity due to ongoing symptoms but does not comment on the mild TBI assessment.
What to Watch
- Whether O'Driscoll and Jess proceed with legal action against the AFL or other parties.
- The AFL's response to the public disclosure of the neuropsychological report and the discharge letter.
- Any changes to the severe injury benefit criteria or assessment process following this case.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe headline says Aiden O’Driscoll is fighting the AFL over an assessment that classified his brain injury as mild.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “That clinical reclassification ... has left the 21-year-old traumatised, derailed his bid for a $600,000 severe injury payout and put his management on a collision course with the league.”
- SupportedThe summary says O’Driscoll was 21 and forced into medical retirement after eight brain bleeds.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “A former player who was forced into medical retirement after suffering eight brain bleeds and a fractured skull”
- SupportedThe summary says the $600,000 severe injury payout bid was derailed by a finding of mild traumatic brain injury.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “concluded that O’Driscoll suffered only a “mild TBI [traumatic brain injury]” – leaving O’Driscoll and his agent Peter Jess in shock.”
- SupportedThe opening says O’Driscoll retired without playing a senior AFL game after a training collision caused a fractured skull and eight brain bleeds.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “O’Driscoll retired at just 18 in May 2024 before he had made his senior AFL debut, having suffered a major “head-on-head” concussion during a pre-season match simulation session ... He suffered a seizure and a fracture behind his ear, an MRI later revealing that the collision had left him with eight brain bleeds.”
- SupportedO’Driscoll said, “It [mild assessment] does not add up. My memory for basic things is shocking, really bad. It has progressively got worse over time. It’s a horrible thing for a 21-year-old to go through.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““It [mild assessment] does not add up. My memory for basic things is shocking, really bad. It has progressively got worse over time. It’s a horrible thing for a 21-year-old to go through.”
- SupportedO’Driscoll retired at 18 in May 2024, and the AFL’s independent concussion panel medically retired him.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “O’Driscoll retired at just 18 in May 2024 before he had made his senior AFL debut”
- SupportedHe received more than $150,000 in career-ending injury payments in 2024, while his $600,000 severe injury benefit application was rejected by the AFL and AFLPA this year.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “While he received a career-ending injury payment of more than $150,000 in 2024, his application for a $600,000 severe injury benefit (SIB) payment was rejected this year by the AFL and AFL Players’ Association”
- SupportedThe assessment report was completed in Perth in March and concluded that O’Driscoll had a mild TBI.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “a neuropsychological assessment report completed in Perth in March ... which concluded that O’Driscoll suffered only a “mild TBI [traumatic brain injury]””
- SupportedThe AFL medical panel’s April 2024 report said, “Aiden has more micro-haemorrhages than the panel has seen in other athletes”.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “An AFL medical panel’s report in April 2024 revealed the extent of O’Driscoll’s injury, going as far as declaring “Aiden has more micro-haemorrhages than the panel has seen in other athletes”.”
- SupportedPeter Jess called the assessment flawed and said it could not be relied upon.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““The medical classification for Aiden’s type of injury is moderate/severe TBI, not a mild brain trauma as assessed … the assessment is flawed and cannot be relied upon,” Jess”
- SupportedThe neuropsychological report said testing 41 days after the injury was largely stable against baseline, with slightly weaker memory scores, and that basic attention, processing speed, visual-spatial skills and executive functions were broadly age-expected.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “At 41 days post-TBI ... Formal testing revealed largely stable results compared to his baseline, though memory scores were slightly weaker. On the current assessment, Aiden’s basic attention processing speed, visual spatial skills, and executive functions were broadly at age-expected levels.”
- SupportedMakdissi’s discharge summary said O’Driscoll’s current work capacity was limited due to ongoing symptoms.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““his current work capacity is limited due to ongoing symptoms”.”