NRL’s Keegan Hipgrave forced to retire at just 24
This article is sourced from www.smh.com.au/
He did not know it at the time, but Keegan Hipgrave played his last game in the NRL when his head slammed into Gold Coast turf when trying to stop Penrith’s Tevita Pangai jnr in round 25.
Hipgrave remembers nothing from that night. He certainly remembers the mood swings that followed and the countless afternoons he found him falling asleep for no good reason.
Which is why, at just 24, the Parramatta forward announced his immediate retirement from the game on Friday.
“That last head knock in round 25, it was unfortunate, I didn’t think much of it at the time, but the symptoms carried on longer than I thought - six weeks later I was still having headaches after training,” Hipgrave told the Herald.
“I would fall asleep in the afternoon, and there were massive mood swings, which my fiancee [Izzy] and family saw more than me.
“I like to think I’m a happy guy, but I’d get angry at the smallest things. Or I’d be riding a big high and then be reduced to tears in just a matter of minutes. And the weird thing is you’re aware of it all the whole time.
“I reached out to my neurologist, Chris Levi, who I had a lot to do with in 2019, I had a good chat with him and his honest opinion was I retire from rugby league.
“That was two weeks ago. I had some good chats with my family, and then I arrived at the decision.
“It’s one of the toughest decisions I’ve had to make. Making that call to [Eels coach] Brad [Arthur] was one of the toughest phone calls I’ve had to make.
“But I know it will be the right decision moving forward.”