Footy club makes incredible gesture to star who was forced to retire aged 24 due to concussion

Nathan Murphy has received a ‘remarkable financial gesture’ after the Collingwood star was forced into retirement due to a string of concussions.

The 24-year-old defender announced his early retirement from football after being advised by a panel of medical experts to do so. 

Murphy suffered his 10th concussion during the Magpies’ grand final vivcotry over Brisbane, his last game in professional football. Across a seven-year career, he played 57 games.

Despite Murphy’s immediate future being under threat, Collingwood quietly extended his contract last year until 2025, and after his decision this week they have decided to pay out the remainder of his deal.

‘That retirement came with a remarkable financial gesture from the Pies, which I think will total a million dollars,’ News Corp’s Jon Ralph said on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle.

The 24-year-old was forced to retire from football due to a string of concussions

News Corp reports that Murphy could receive as much as $1million from the club

‘This year’s contract and next. So, as he pondered his retirement across the summer, they handed him another year on his contract.

‘Most people would say ‘what were they thinking?’ They did it because they didn’t want him to feel forced into trying to play on to shore up his financial future.

‘Basically, they didn’t want him to say ‘OK, I haven’t got enough money, if I play on, maybe I’ll be able to buy a house or a property or a business as well’. They did it aware that one concussion was likely to end his career.’

Ralph offered his view on the move, believing that Collingwood did so in an effort to convince Murphy to prioritise his health. 

‘My take — they basically did it trying to nudge him into retirement by saying ‘take the money, even though we might have to pay it in our cap next year’,’ he said.

‘As it turns out, he was medically retired by the AFL on Saturday, which he had not been (previously). The AFL had ticked him off medically (last) December, so there was a significant risk to that all.

‘He was still battling with migraines and anxiety.’