The Saints have placed McCartin on the long-term injury list as he battles with the ongoing symptoms of the head injury.

The 23-year-old is believed to have been concussed eight times since 2014 and is still struggling to shake off the effects from the knock he sustained at Mars Stadium during the pre-season match against the Western Bulldogs.

In a candid radio interview with Triple M over the weekend, the Saints' big man opened up about his struggle.

''(I'm) not great to be honest, it's been a tough few months," McCartin said.

"I haven't done a lot of anything, really, and that's been the hardest part.

"I've lost my footy identity a little bit but also my identity as a person as well just because I can't do stuff.

"I can't go to a supermarket when it's busy or a cafe with my girlfriend or drive my car.

"The hard thing is that there's no real time frame on it.

"Hopefully I'm better next week but I could be better in a year or six months. I don't know."

Western Bulldogs player Liam Picken suffered concussion during a pre-season match in Ballarat in 2018. He never made a return to the field and retired from the game as a result of his symptoms in March.

The Courier recently published a story on Rokewood-Corindhap footballer Jono Willey and his major battle with concussion.

Willey has had headaches and dizziness and experienced major difficulty sleeping following the head knock in round three of the Central Highlands Football League season.

Peter Jess is an AFL player agent and concussion campaigner who has since made contact with Willey and had him referred for specialist testing in Melbourne.

"(The test) will see if he has got any structural damage and then once we understand what the damage is, we will give him a rehabilitation program," Jess told The Courier.

"He's gets it. He said 'if I do nothing then I may have permanent damage'."