"We were playing against Wodonga in a reserve grade final and their ruckman elbowed me in the back of the head," Palmer recalled this week.

"It certainly wasn't intentional, but when you're seven-foot tall and you're throwing your elbows around against a little bloke, there's only one spot you can get hit.

"I was out (concussed) for about half an hour and I reckon I still felt that for years after.

"I would almost describe it as a bruise.

'I could feel on the inside of my skull where the impact was, it was only dull or light, but it was like a light recovering bruise."

Palmer's revelation comes after the Australian Institute of Sport's recent recommendations to overhaul existing concussion protocols.

The recommendations are:

The AIS can't enforce the recommendations on individual sports but, if they are accepted, community sports will change forever.

"One of the challenges around the overall prevalence of concussion in Australian sport is that we have a fairly fragmented health data system with different codings for concussion in different jurisdictions," AIS chief medical officer Dr David Hughes AM said.

"We know one of the greatest risk factors for concussion is someone returning too early from a previous concussion. By having a minimum standardised period of time out initially, we believe we're going to reduce the number of repeat concussions which will lead to improved health outcomes across Australia.

"Sport is part of the fabric of regional communities, guidelines like these will ensure people in all parts of Australia can enjoy sport in a safe and welcoming environment."

The AIS combined with experts in New Zealand the UK on world-leading concussion guidelines to improve safety for children in sport.

The Youth and Community Sport Guidelines, which form part of the updated AIS Concussion and Brain Health Position Statement, were unveiled last week to coincide with the return of school sport across the country.

"This multi-national approach to the Youth and Community Sport Guidelines provides all Australians with a clear, consistent, and strong message on how to manage concussion in sport," Dr Hughes said.

"It's important to manage all instances of concussion with an abundance of caution and make it clear that a conservative management approach is needed for people aged under 19 who have growing brains and are at risk of prolonged recovery times, as well as for community sport where advanced health care support is often not available."

"The AIS wants everyone involved in sport to remember, when considering an athlete with possible concussion, 'if in doubt, sit them out'."

The Ovens and Murray Football Netball League responded to the AIS's planned overhaul of existing concussion protocols.

"The OMFNL, like all affiliated leagues, awaits further information from AFL Victoria regarding their position relating to the recent AIS concussion management recommendations," the release stated.

"As a community sports organisation, the health and wellbeing of our participants sits above all else as the highest priority.

"Our member clubs will continue to be guided by AFL Victoria's concussion guidelines, in addition the league remains committed to annual education sessions to club trainers to assist the development of their match day injury management plans."

Matthew Elliott, who is the league operations manager for three bodies - Albury Wodonga Junior Football League, North East Border Female Football League and Wangaratta and District Junior Football League - said it was an important issue.

"The AWJFL recognise the well-being of young players is of significant importance, and their health and safety continues to remain a top priority," it stated.

'The AWJFL is guided by the policies implemented by the AFL. Each year the AFL reviews the concussion guidelines for community football to ensure leagues and clubs are equipped with the necessary tools to manage this aspect of player welfare.

"For this purpose, the AFL has a dedicated concussion portal on its website containing extensive information for concussion management, that is a valuable and readily available resource for participants and their families."

As for the current policy on concussion, those four leagues follow AFL guidelines of a minimum 12-day standown period with a medical clearance then required to return.

AFL North East Border, which is the governing body of the four leagues, said "the health and safety of players at all levels of our game remains a top priority".

"Each year the AFL review their concussion guidelines for elite and community football and that process for 2024 remains ongoing, AFLNEB and its leagues have and will continue to be guided by these policies," it said.

Interestingly, Palmer quit football in October, 2015, after he received a head knock in the senior Ovens and Murray Football League grand final against Albury.

"At the time I wanted to find out more and it was around that time all the horror stories were coming out about Greg Williams and how much trouble he was having around that 50 years of age mark," he explained.

Williams had said earlier he couldn't remember his career highlight, winning the 1995 premiership at Carlton, winning the Norm Smith Medal and kicking five goals.

The 1994 Brownlow medallist was one of six former AFL players who had had CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) testing at Deakin University.

All had shown symptoms of permanent brain disease.

Repeated concussions are known to cause neurological disorders, particularly CTE.

CTE was found in the brains of more than 315 former NFL players, including 24 who died in their 20s and 30s.

The disease can only be discovered in a post-mortem autopsy.

"I saw the doctor and he referred me to a brain guru," Palmer revealed of his 2015 concussion.

"They gave you these tests and test your response, your cognitive ability, how good your memory is, but ultimately it (the results) couldn't be quantified.

"I had asked all the questions to the people who were supposed to know and no one could give me a definitive answer.

"I was never told to give it (football) away by anyone."

But Palmer, who had just turned 29, decided while he didn't have the answer, it was time to retire.

"There's more to life, even though at the time football was my life," he stated.

So Palmer took up sprinting in the Victorian Athletic League and ultimate frisbee for a team sport, but admits it didn't fill the gap left by footy.

"I'd lost three grand finals in footy, so I came out of retirement in 2022," he admitted.

"A few of the young blokes at Lavi, like Hunter Clayton and James Waters, were up at Tumbarumba, and after those grand final losses I thought here was an opportunity to win one.

"I thought I'd be quick enough to stay out of the way in the Upper Murray, but I did get a knock on the chin that shook me up and I was quite fearful of playing footy after that.

"I ended up missing five weeks and I did improve over that time, but I thought, 'what's meant to be will be', so I played the last three games and we won the grand final.

"Potentially it's an irresponsible way to look at it, but unfortunately you want what you want and I wanted to play footy with my mates."

Now 37, Palmer says he feels no effects of his concussions.

"I tried to count them once, I reached 20, they're just the ones I can think of," he revealed.

'I keep my brain active, I'm doing an electrical engineering degree, and I'm physically active, I don't think there's any real issues at the moment.

"But if someone thought my brain would be useful for them, from a scientific perspective, then I'm all for it (donating to the Australian Sports Brain Bank).

Palmer naturally understands the seriousness of the concussion debate, highlighted by the fact he did so much individual research on the topic.

However, he can also see the lighter side of his studies.

"I'm doing homework at the moment, the physics is hard, but I don't think that's got anything to do with my cognitive ability, physics is just hard, full stop (laughs)."