It is one of the most significant issues facing everyone in Rugby League. From the oldest player in the NRL all the way down to the parent wondering whether to let their child play Rugby League. It was highlighted in a significant way on Sunday. Fortunately, action will be taken; however, as with all issues, there are critics and doubters. In this article, I hope to prove to you how serious the problem of concussion is and how serious the injuries that could result from concussion are, not just for Rugby League players, but for every single person who has ever played a contact sport from the beginning of time until the end of time. I will also look at the recent history of Monday night football in the NRL and whether the game will continue in the next TV rights deal.
For those who saw the game between Manly and Newcastle on Sunday, you would have seen Newcastle second-rower Richard Fa’aoso concussed after a hit; Richard then tried to stand up; Richard staggered around worse than any of the thousands of people on a Friday or Saturday night, on any street in the city. In one of the most sickening sights, and after a test by Newcastle doctor Peter McGeoch, Richard was allowed to return to the field under the current guidelines on concussion policy. It may have been that McGeoch did not see the after-effects suffered by Fa’aoso as he was attending to other injured players, though surely someone else who saw the injury would have told McGeoch and not allowed him back on the field. Knights fullback Shannon McDonnell stayed on the field after being assessed, as he was believed to have returned to a normal state. Shannon was substituted at halftime after admitting he had no idea where he was.
What is a concussion? A concussion is frequently defined as a head injury with a temporary loss of brain function. A concussion can have effects felt both in the short term and long term, including; constant headaches, confusion, memory loss (both short and long term), dizziness, vertigo, abnormal balance, dementia, depression, brain damage and possibly Amphotropic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. When a person is hit in the head, the brain changes shape and moves backwards and forwards, bashing the skull and tissue is torn; a single blow is enough to begin a slow spread of degenerate damage across the brain, and the damage to the brain is not revealed on people who are alive as the brain is only able to be studied during an autopsy.
The current NRL policy is that players believed to have suffered a concussion can resume playing when they are deemed to have returned to standard functionality. After the incident on the weekend, the NRL is considering the AFL’s concussion policy, which has already faced criticism. The AFL policy is as follows:
Concussion refers to a disturbance in brain function caused by trauma.
• Complications can occur if the player is returned to play before fully recovering from injury.
• The critical components of management include:
a. Suspecting the diagnosis in any player with symptoms such as confusion or headache after a knock to the head;
b. Referring the player for medical evaluation; and
c. Ensuring that the player has received medical clearance before allowing a return to play or a graded training program.
• The cornerstones of medical management include rest until symptoms have resolved, cognitive testing to ensure recovery of brain function, and then a graded return to sport program with monitoring for recurrence of symptoms.
• In general, a more conservative approach (i.e. longer time to return to sport) is used in cases where there is any uncertainty about the player’s recovery (“if in doubt, sit them out”).
• Difficult cases, such as those involving prolonged symptoms or deficits in brain function, require a more detailed, multi-disciplinary approach to management.
A player with a suspected concussion must be withdrawn from playing or training until medically evaluated and cleared.
The NHL is also beginning to crack down on hits to players, especially in the wake of “poster boy” Sidney Crosby being sidelined since January 5th under the concussion policy. The NFL is trying to implement measures to try and reduce the risk of players being put at risk of developing a concussion after recent reports have shaken the sport to its core. From ESPN.com: “In 2007, the league created its first set of guidelines on return-to-play rules, based on a medical conference explicitly held to discuss concussions. That policy stated that a player could not return to a game or practice in which he lost consciousness and that he must be wholly asymptomatic and usually pass his neurological tests before returning to play. The NFL also pledged to expand neurological testing for all players, particularly those who had suffered concussions. If a player suffered a concussion in the season, he would be required to undergo neuropsychological tests later in the year.
In August 2009, NFL executives and lawmakers joined the United States House Judiciary Committee to discuss the effects of head injuries in the sport. The NFL was roundly criticised for not taking more action against concussions. A new, stricter set of guidelines followed that year, which said that a player cannot return to a practice or game if he shows any of the symptoms of a concussion, not just a loss of consciousness. A player must also be analysed by an independent neurologist and his team physician after a concussion. In the 2010 season, the NFL began to crack down on helmet-to-helmet hits to reduce the number of concussions suffered by players. The league issued hefty fines to players, particularly repeat offenders and has said suspensions would be considered for those who continued to commit illegal hits.
Ex-player Tommy Raudonikis believes that long-term injuries from those suffering concussions in Australia were negligible and consider the problem only existed in American Football because the players wear helmets, however team of the century hooker Noel Kelly said, “I think it’s an important issue”” ‘If you get a bad concussion you deserve a couple of weeks off while they sort it out. I’ve had a few of them, and you don’t travel too well after them. You think you’re going all right, but you’re not.” Tommy Watson added they shouldn’t play the following week, at least, just to make sure they’re okay. It [concussion] is a thing you can’t see. You’ll try and get back on the field if they’ll let you because you feel you’re letting your teammates down if you don’t, so you’ve got to be protected against yourself.”.Noel stated that he had never suffered any long-term problems from concussions but noted, “Being with the Men Of League organisation, we’re looking at a lot of fellows that were knocked about in that way” he said. “You don’t think you’re doing any damage at the time, but there turns out to be plenty of damage when you get to 65 or 70.” Cliff also noticed former players who had suffered long-term from concussions. “We had a player at the Sharkies who had a couple of concussions on the trot,” he said. “He worked in the insurance industry, and his boss spotted something wrong with him because his work with the figures was all over the place. He didn’t realise that anything was wrong until then. “He had scans done and needed time off, but he eventually went back to playing and was okay. You’ve got to ensure the players are okay because one bad knock can have a devastating effect. You know the rest of your body will heal from injuries, but the brain – you’ve got to be careful there.”
As I stated, the NRL is poised to announce that it will have a similar policy to that of the AFL. I would suggest adding that any player who suffers a concussion is removed from the playing field and cannot return for the rest of the game. The player must be assessed by an independent medical professional before being cleared to return to practice. Critics point out that coaches would prefer to leave the player out on the field as having the player on the field might help them win instead of an interchange player, also a player may feel that they will let down their teammates if they leave the field and believe that they will be fine in a few minutes, players also need to be honest with the medical officials and the club and tell them if they are not okay as they may be risking not only their long term health but a way of life.
The other week, the Daily Telegraph revealed that the clubs were against Monday Night Football (MNF) and wanted it scrapped from the next television rights deal, which is set to expire next year. A strong critic is South Sydney CEO Shane Richardson, who stated, “Fans hate it. Clubs hate it across the board. Sponsors hate it. It is a financial disaster for us. Clubs are incredibly dissatisfied. We’re all fed-up on Monday night.” Clubs get $40,000 compensation for playing on Monday night; MNF is one of the highest-rated programs for Fox Sports, with the round one game between Canterbury and the Wests Tigers setting the record for the highest-rated program on Fox Sports history and the round two game between St George-Illawarra and Cronulla, was not far behind the round one game. In an article in The Age, Caroline Wilson reported that the AFL will be choosing to play its extra game each round on Monday night in its new television rights deal, and the Nine Network wanted to broadcast MNF. If it wasn’t for MNF, then the NRL would lose money, as Triple M would not be calling the game and 2GB would still have a monopoly on radio rights, and it is possible that Triple M would not have invested in additional Rugby League shows. The independent commission will do what is best for the game, not what is best for the clubs, so I would assume that MNF is not going anywhere. I have heard via the verdict on Triple M that Ten/One is desperate for MNF, so why a governing body would turn down an extra source of income and another channel to watch Rugby League is beyond me.
And Another Thing: I am against the Tinkler Sports Group buying the Newcastle Knights. The group’s alleged courting of Jamal Idris and Wayne Bennett when it had no official connection to the club is the main reason I’m against the sale. The role of the owner(s) is to pour money into the club so the club can improve and to leave the operations of the football club to the football club. Another reason I’m against the Tinkler Sports Group taking over the Knights because they are one of the few clubs that consistently turn a profit, so they do not need the money. My final worry is Nathan will get bored with the deal, withdraw his money, and the club will be left broke.
Quote of the Week: Shane Watson mixed his metaphors up when explaining his form at the twenty-20 world cup last year: “it’s good to have another gear up my sleeve.”
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Till next time,
Cheese