It was only 12-months ago that Nico Sedgwick feared he had reached the end of his footy career.
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The 31-year-old had only played a handful of matches post COVID as he battled dizzy spells which he suspected was post-concussion syndrome (PCS).
Sedgwick trained with Lavington over the pre-season last year but suffering dizzy spells on the training track restricted him to one match in the reserves in round 10.
A scary experience in the changerooms at half-time left Sedgwick filled with doubt that he would ever play the game he loves the most again.
"I trained a bit last year but kept having dizzy spills," Sedgwick said.
"So I wasn't playing but the boys were short in the twos and I filled in against Myrtleford.
"I played OK in the first half and felt alright and we went into the rooms for the break then all of a sudden I lost my vision which was obviously scary at the time.
"I didn't know what was going on.
"Everything was just blurry and black...then I just came good again.
"I thought it was due to being concussed previously.
"So I didn't play again last year."
Sedgwick estimates he had been concussed half-a-dozen times during his glittering career with Brock-Burrum.
Despite weighing little more than 70kg, Sedgwick earned a reputation as a fearless midfielder who wasn't afraid to put his body on the line against much bigger opponents.
A star in the Hume league, Sedgwick won the 2014 Azzi medal and was instrumental in the Saints winning back-to-back flags in 2015-16 and again in 2018.
"It would be half-a-dozen times that I suffered a concussion at Brock-Burrum but I've never actually been knocked out cold," he said.
"I also suffered a broken jaw and broken cheekbone.
"Sometimes I would feel ordinary during a match and then get home and spew up for no reason.
"Being young and dumb back then, I didn't think too much of it.
"But once I started getting these dizzy spells at training the past few years, I thought it had to be concussion related."
Sedgwick could have quite easily ended up on the football scrapheap last year if it wasn't for Lavington coach Adam Schneider.
Schneider, who boasts an extensive network of contacts after 228 matches with Sydney and St Kilda helped Sedgwick seek the right medical advice.
"Adam Schneider got involved and has helped me immensely for the past six to 12-months," Sedgwick said.
"I've undergone every test you can, bloods, brain scans and the results kept coming back as normal.
"But I knew I wasn't right because everytime I exercised I would have dizzy spells.
"As soon as my heart rate got above 170 bpm, I felt like I was on a different planet.
"So I have seen a stack of specialists trying to get to the bottom of the problem.
"I even tried a dose of anxiety tablets that has helped immensely... believe it or not.
"It has just seemed to calm me down and more relaxed and I haven't really thought about it since.
"So I started training again and stopped getting dizzy spills and the rest took care of itself."
"Schneids is a legend and really cares about his players and would do anything for them and I can't thank him enough."
After missing so much football over the past few years, Sedgwick has a renewed enthusiasm and is loving the challenge of playing in the O&M.
The little dynamo has slotted into Lavington's midfield alongside Tom Hargreave, Billy Glanvill and Ben Ashley-Cooper and also spends time on the interchange as he regains match-fitness.
"After missing so much football, it's the highlight of the week for me now, going to training and playing football on a Saturday," he said.
"I'm a bit like a kid on Christmas eve now in regards to footy.
"I just need to improve my fitness and Schneids has been giving me time in the midfield which has been good and what I like.
"I feel 100 percent and keen to keep playing for as long as I can now I realise how much I missed playing."
