v Concussion has ruined many promising league careers over the years, the risk of permanent head or brain damage far too high a risk to contemplate.Claremont back pocket player Brendan Hendry had to make the decision at a time he was riding high, one of Western Australia’s best in an upset win over South Australia in Adelaide, and invited to try out with the Fremantle Dockers inaugural squad.“It was a straightforward decision really,” he said. “When the professional people began to mention things like Parkinson’s disease and dementia associated with head trauma I’d heard enough. Id only actually been knocked out a few times, but there were plenty of occasions I couldn’t remember the game.”Hendry’s problems with concussion began when he was knocked out while playing at Katanning High School. Son of a Bremer Bay farmer, Bob Hendry, who had himself been a respectable country footballer at Burracoppin, Brendan wore a protective helmet throughout his junior days. He attracted the interest of Claremont Football Club from an early age, and was sponsored by the club when a member of the 1988 WA Teal Cup side, which also included two fifteen-year-olds, Glen Jakovich and Lee Walker.The five foot seven back pocket specialist went to Claremont as a seventeen year old in 1989, and was allowed to develop under the auspices of colts coach Larry Kickett. Winner of the Jack Clarke Medal as best and fairest in the competition in 1990, Brendan was also part of the Tigers colts losing grand final side that year.Hendry made his league debut, under Gerard Neesham, against Subiaco in round one of 1992. A member of another losing grand final side that year, the reserves, Brendan blossomed to become an outstanding league player in 1993, and was part of Claremont’s five goal win over West Perth in the grand final. Another fine season in 1994, culminating in State selection, was brought to a shuddering halt at a training accident prior to the second semi-final where he was seriously concussed.Doctor’s advice convinced the diminutive defender to hang up the boots when team mates were in the heat of a finals campaign. The Tigers went on to lose the grand final to East Fremantle by twenty one points.After acting as a runner for Claremont reserves for a season, Hendry moved to Geraldton, where he was quickly snapped up by Towns as assistant to coach Bruce Gillingham. These days Brendan Hendry manages a team of Financial Planners at Bankwest, enjoys running, and has two daughters, Grace and Charlotte. Grace commands plenty of his time as a spectator and supporter of her soccer team, and he gets together with old Tigers team mates whenever possible.West Perth forward Ronnie Burns was one player Brendan rated as difficult to play on. “He’d just disappear,” he said, “then he’d be there when the ball arrived.” Peter Miller from East Perth was another quality opponent. Dale Kickett was his nomination as the best player he played with. “Dale had so much natural ability and he was very rarely beaten one on one.”Most enjoyable to play with was the entertaining Mark Brayshaw, who provided plenty of commentary of his own during games and at training.Brendan Hendry’s stay on the football stage was brief, and he played just forty three league games.  Nevertheless, a premiership flag and a State guernsey stamp him as a good player, and one who could have gone on to better things if not for health issues that prevented him from achieving his potential.