Boomers captain Dustin Patten's career in doubt due to concussion

The star centre back has been ordered to sit out the rest of the season with ongoing concussion issues and faces the real possibility of never playing again.

Patten, 32, first started experiencing symptoms of concussion in the latter stages of the 2018 season, but kept it quiet as his side progressed all the way to the senior men's cup final - where they eventually fell to Myrtleford. 

"You're coming into finals and you don't want to be missing games or the coach to sit you out for a week," Patten said.

"I trained through it, played through it and got through the season.

"I informed the coach Andrew Grove and told a few other people what was happening and we decided I'd take a little bit longer off through the pre-season to see how I felt.

"I took three months off in pre-season, which was four weeks longer than I usually would and came back fine.

"But within two to three weeks I started to get strange feelings again mentally, and visually on the field.

"It was the feeling it was coming back again.

"I couldn't pinpoint an incident where it has happened, it was just a minor case of concussion again."

Patten played the opening two games without any concerns, but in round three against Albury City, he copped a headbutt to the side of the head and alarm bells were raised.

"It swelled straight up and bruised all down the side of my head," he revealed.

"That is the reason why I'm going to have to take a long break and try get it right."

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Patten had only ever had one concussion 10 years ago playing football, but believes it's the long kicks back into play from the goalkeeper that have added up.

"The way the league is, the centre backs are nearly always the ones heading that 40 to 50-metre kick," he said.

"I've been playing first grade 15 years and I've been playing that position week in, week out where it's landing on top of my head.

"As well as all the head clashes you're involved in, it's all part of the game, but it feels like it has slowly caught up with me."

Concerns heightened when it began to impact his work as a storeman.

"A lot of the computer stuff has been hard and I've had some short-term memory loss," Patten said.

"I'm onto my third doctor at the moment going through everything.

"I'm waiting to hear back from a scan just to get the all clear so no further damage is done.

"If I was to come back, the doctors are pretty much saying you have to avoid heading the ball and head clashes.

"It's going to make it near impossible to play, especially at that level."

Telling the playing group was one of the most difficult moments of his life, but he's vowed to remain heavily involved with the club.

"I've had a pretty good run, I don't want to ruin it by going that extra season or an extra couple of games," he said.

"We're at the start of a season now and I have to make the call."

He hopes his case can start the conversation about concussions in soccer.