‘I did second guess myself’: Crows star Chelsea Randall on her harrowing concussion recovery

The three-time premiership captain and five-time All-Australian played for the first time in nearly two months in the Crows’ big elimination final win over St Kilda on Sunday.

Randall reported delayed concussion symptoms after Round 5 of this year’s AFLW season.

After the win over the Saints, the 34-year-old told this masthead that in the first five weeks she did second guess whether she would return to action again.

“I ran out in the warm-up and I said I feel like I am making my debut again, so it felt good to be running around again with my mates,” she said.

“In all honesty in the first five weeks I did second guess myself a little bit because you are just not feeling right.

“Everything for me was like I was on a boat visually.

“I couldn’t get out and go to team meetings because I couldn’t sit and watch vision.

“I couldn’t help out a teammate and do some handballs because cognitively you couldn’t see what was coming.

“It was a pretty isolating injury to be fair but I am so grateful that I have come good and so glad that I’ve been able to play the game I love again and that I’m feeling great which is the main thing.

“Health has been the priority the whole time.”

Randall was named to play in the Crows squad to take Fremantle the previous week but after reporting symptoms following their main training session she was withdrawn from the side.

She said it was just another part of what had been a journey full of challenges.

“I would feel good and then unfortunately might get a symptom or two afterwards and so I just worked with the medical staff,” she said.

“They always put my health first and have been amazing and I guess the footy gods allowed me to come out and play again.”

A number of players have had to retire following a period of time away from the game because of concussion symptoms.

Randall said part of her length of time on the sidelines was because of the caution that was shown.

“It was a unique one … this one (the blow) was to the back of the head and just took a little bit longer,” she said.

“I am just really grateful for the opportunity to play again and that my health is good.”

Back in defence Randall showed no signs of rust in the Crows’ 44-point win, with two intercept marks going back with the flight of the ball showing that the stint on the sidelines had not impacted her courage as well.

She said that was because the Crows were cautious with her return to play time frame.

“Once you run across the white line you do turn into the competitor that you are and you just want to play team footy,” she said.

“So no there wasn’t really any doubt out there, and that’s probably because I had taken so long to get back.

“We took the conservative approach and made sure that I was really good first before taking to the field.”