Bulldogs headache: Liam Picken out indefinitely with concussion

Western Bulldogs forward Liam Picken has been ruled out of playing indefinitely due to the effects of his second big concussion in the last 12 months.

The Bulldogs revealed the 2016 premiership player would take an open-ended break from playing as he struggled to overcome the effects of a a serious concussion in the JLT series.

The 31-year-old was also badly knocked out in round three last year when Fremantle's Tommy Sheridan landed on the Bulldog player's head.

Liam Picken will be out of football indefinitely due to concussion.
Photo: Rob Gunstone

Picken suffered his latest concussion when he clashed with teammate Josh Dunkley in a marking contest in the pre-season win over Hawthorn. Picken had to be stretchered from the ground.

"He doesn't know any other way. He's just full on and wants to make a contest," assistant coach Daniel Giansiracusa said after that incident on March 3. "We'll assess him throughout the week so."

A former midfield tagger Picken reinvented himself as a goalkicking defensive forward.

"It was pretty scary with like any concussion, and I was right next to Liam when it happened on the ground," Bulldogs captain Easton Wood told the AFL website at the AFL Captains Day on Thursday.

"He's had a couple of bad ones already, (and) I'm not sure where he's currently at, at the moment.

"What I'm enjoying with the way concussion is (treated) now is that the cautious approach is the best approach.

"It was a very quick call that he wouldn't play in that JLT game (against Collingwood), so he had limited stuff to do that week and just be at home, recover and get himself right."