Concussion policy under spotlight

[Super Freak]

THE NRL’s chief medico will return from an elite, eight-competition seminar on concussion in sport to help sort out whether an independent doctor should be appointed for the finals.

The recent Origin series saw the first use of independent doctors and the NRL is debating whether the format, which saw doctor Daelyn Cullen empowered to order players out of a match if she felt a head knock was severe, extended to the play-offs.

NRL chief doctor Paul Bloomfield and head of football operations Nathan McGuirk this week attended a conference in Dublin to help frame short-term and long-term policies for the game’s policing of concussion.

NRL CEO Todd Greenberg explained in May that Origin matches were thought a good vehicle in which to appoint independent doctors because the state team medicos do not have the history with players that club doctors do. Queensland’s Anthony Milford and NSW’s Mitchell Pearce were replaced because of head knocks in Origin I.

Some clubs would argue that their medicos are best placed to diagnose the scale of concussion of a player in their team.

Concussions were back in rugby league’s news this week when Billy Slater was taken off the field after a high, late tackle in Canberra on Saturday.

Slater was not named in Melbourne’s 21-man squad for Sunday’s clash with Manly and a club spokesman said he had been rested because of concussion.

“Dr Paul Bloomfield and Nathan McGuirk attended a conference that was invite-only for eight professional sports worldwide,’’ NRL head of football Brian Canavan said.

“The NRL’s medical advisory panel (including Bloomfield) will conduct a review of the Origin trials. The Origin doctors will be consulted.’’

The NRL is keen to remain on the pace with opinions in other contact sports grappling with the long-term consequences to players who had been concussed.

Two former Origin players Brett Horsnell and James McManus have started legal action against their respective clubs over the handling of their multiple concussion injuries while playing.

An independent doctor could review television footage on the touchline during a finals match and require that a player be replaced if they show any concussion symptoms not acted up by one of the club’s medical staffers.

Cameron Munster was named Melbourne fullback to replace Slater, with Ryles Jacks taking Munster’s five-eighth spot.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...n/news-story/959cfbee57d079582e8d7942d80263ba

 

[Morkel]

I tend to think we also need an independent doctor on the sidelines looking out for the bogus "concussion" replacements. Bugger your knee, just tell the doc and he'll tap his head and take you off for free.

 

[Nashy]

It's dumb that the team doctors were even considered to be the ones to make the call. But, I'm not surprised our useless administration thought it would be a good idea. Even if 1910 thinks it's offensive to team doctors.

 

[holdzy]

It's dumb that the team doctors were even considered to be the ones to make the call. But, I'm not surprised our useless administration thought it would be a good idea. Even if 1910 thinks it's offensive to team doctors.

One would like to think the integrity of the profession would come first, but almost any station in this game is open to corruption. Honestly, if there is even the slightest opening somewhere, someone will rort the shit out of it.

 

[tommy]

Interesting quote of Dean Ritchie's. Apparently the tackle is worse because it was on a high-profile player

It has been rated the most horrendous high tackle of the season, made worse by the fact Soliola collected one of rugby league’s highest-profile players.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...r/news-story/28b8075a7807dab5e54750b863989379

 

[tommy]

I tend to think we also need an independent doctor on the sidelines looking out for the bogus "concussion" replacements. Bugger your knee, just tell the doc and he'll tap his head and take you off for free.

The problem being every single doctor would err on the side of caution rather than risk a malpractice lawsuit. It's a tough one to police and unfortunately some of the scummier teams will always take advantage of it.

 

[Morkel]

The problem being every single doctor would err on the side of caution rather than risk a malpractice lawsuit. It's a tough one to police and unfortunately some of the scummier teams will always take advantage of it.

We've seen players being taken off due to concussion when they never even had head contact. There's no caution required there, it's just a fucking rort.

 

[Renegade]

We've seen players being taken off due to concussion when they never even had head contact. There's no caution required there, it's just a fucking rort.

You don't need head contact to do any sort of brain damage, you just need a collision which causes the brain to bounce off the walls of the cranium. That's what concussions really are, not hits to the head, hits to the brain

 

[Morkel]

You don't need head contact to do any sort of brain damage, you just need a collision which causes the brain to bounce off the walls of the cranium. That's what concussions really are, not hits to the head, hits to the brain

 

[Renegade]

Definite cte

 

[Nashy]

We've seen players being taken off due to concussion when they never even had head contact. There's no caution required there, it's just a fucking rort.

Don't the trainers call for a head knock too?

 

[Morkel]

Don't the trainers call for a head knock too?

Yeah I think you're right. The Docs probably only get involved on the sidelines or if they have to come on to the field because the player is down and needs assessing in situ.

 

[Nashy]

Yeah I think you're right. The Docs probably only get involved on the sidelines or if they have to come on to the field because the player is down and needs assessing in situ.

In the NRL, clubs have professional sports trainers who are trained to spot the signs of concussion.
They will run out onto the field to assess an injured player, looking for any symptoms of concussion, such as loss of consciousness, dizziness, unsteadiness on the feet or memory loss when they talk to the player.
If they spot any of the symptoms, the player must be removed immediately from the field.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-...concussion-test-works-in-rugby-league/8441808

 

[Porthoz]

 

[Super Freak]

You're going to hell...

... So am I.

 

[CaptainHook]

One would like to think the integrity of the profession would come first, but almost any station in this game is open to corruption. Honestly, if there is even the slightest opening somewhere, someone will rort the shit out of it.

Yeah but it's the NRL. Trying to get anyone associated with the game to be motivated by integrity of the profession (or by anything other than sheer greed and self-opportunism) is as rare as shark shit in the desert.

Interesting quote of Dean Ritchie's. Apparently the tackle is worse because it was on a high-profile player



http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...r/news-story/28b8075a7807dab5e54750b863989379

The NRL has form in this sort of thing as well. When Wade Graham was suspended last year and missed an Origin game. Paul Gallen said afterwards that the main reason the judiciary had a problem with it is because it was on Johnathan Thurston.

 

[Dexter]

Interesting where this concussion thing is heading . One possibility could be for the NRL to have weight restrictions. I would say most players could play under or on the 100 kg mark, they are pumped up with the weights and the collisions are most of the reason for accumulated damage.
In the 80s there were not that many players over 100kgs, it was always a news story if a player was that big, now it's the norm even for centres and wingers to be approaching that size.

 

[Kimlo]

Interesting where this concussion thing is heading . One possibility could be for the NRL to have weight restrictions. I would say most players could play under or on the 100 kg mark, they are pumped up with the weights and the collisions are most of the reason for accumulated damage.
In the 80s there were not that many players over 100kgs, it was always a news story if a player was that big, now it's the norm even for centres and wingers to be approaching that size.

Wouldn't reducing to 6 interchanges naturally achieve that? And be far more strict on HIA so it's not abused for free interchanges to cover that.