Life is \u201cpretty normal\u201d for Jack Higgins ahead of his 150th game.<\/p>\n
But it\u2019s not lost on the St Kilda forward just how different it all could have been after his serious diagnosis back in 2019.<\/p>\n
Higgins felt concussion symptoms after a match for his former club Richmond but he was later rushed into surgery following a confirmed brain bleed.<\/p>\n
The bleed required surgery and it was so delicate Higgins risked death or paralysis. <\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t think I\u2019d play another game, didn\u2019t think I\u2019d live a normal life after that,\u201d Higgins said.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo play one AFL game and live normally after that, I am happy and proud of myself for it.<\/p>\n
\u201cHeaps (of adjustments) at the start but not so much now, because I\u2019ve been dealing with great medicos and all that sort of stuff.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy life is pretty normal now but at the start, being able to read and write \u2014 I didn\u2019t write that well at the start \u2014 but reading and writing, getting used to everything and not having headaches.\u201d<\/p>\n
Higgins moved from Punt Rd to Moorabbin at the end of 2020 and has become the leading goal kicker at the club he grew up supporting.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a really great achievement, I am really happy I\u2019m playing 150,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo do it at the club I barrack for was pretty special, I can\u2019t wait to play 150 and hopefully a few more after that.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I was a young kid, I probably always thought I\u2019d play 400 games, nah, just keep going. Hopefully (I can) play another 150 or another 100 I would be happy.<\/p>\n
\u201c150 is a great achievement, so I\u2019ll take it day by day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Higgins fired through a career-best 46 goals last season from an impressive 63 scoring shots.<\/p>\n
Despite that strong season, Higgins will keep pushing his case for more time up the ground.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can always play better but I could be playing worse, I think it\u2019s all right, I\u2019ve got a bit more to give but just got to trust the process,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cProbably getting up the ground a bit more, I\u2019ve been staying deep for the last few years (but) hopefully get my hands on more of the footy and kick the ball around a bit more.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would love to play midfield, I have been asking Ross (Lyon) and all my other coaches for the last nine years and they never play me there.<\/p>\n
\u201cI played a bit in my first year at Richmond and that was good fun, I did all right there, hopefully they can look at AFL tables from 2018.\u201d<\/p>\n
Higgins is playing his milestone game in the city he once joked he didn\u2019t want to explore \u2013 Adelaide.<\/p>\n
The energetic goal kicker says he sees the funny side of reaching his milestone there but would also play \u201cMartians on the moon\u201d.<\/p>\n
As for what would be an ideal milestone game? A big bag of goals in a win, of course.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know, that\u2019s a great question, probably when you are a kid you dream of kicking 15 or something like that,\u201d Higgins said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHopefully I play well, the team plays well and we can celebrate in Adelaide on Sunday.\u201d<\/p>\n