PhilClinton
Geoff Shaw (53)
The Will Pucovski situation is really interesting and I feel for the bloke. I sometimes wonder if he’s got some kind of X-Men ability where his head is like a magnet for leather balls.
Concussions and Protecting Our Players
- Thread starter USARugger
- Start date
LeCheese
Peter Johnson (47)
For guys like Pucovski, you can only assume it has to be a fundamental flaw in his technique, biomechanics, or reaction time.
I'm not sure you can say he's more 'susceptible' to concussion though - no more than anyone else getting hit in the head with a cricket ball anyway - just that, for whatever reason, he more frequently gets himself into a position that increases the likelihood of getting hit.
I'm not sure you can say he's more 'susceptible' to concussion though - no more than anyone else getting hit in the head with a cricket ball anyway - just that, for whatever reason, he more frequently gets himself into a position that increases the likelihood of getting hit.
PhilClinton
Geoff Shaw (53)
Cheesey I have considered that and I wonder if it’s a chicken before the egg type situation for Will.
Quite possibly he copped some heavy concussions when he was young and it’s slowed down his reaction time significantly, thus having this flow on effect now. I guess there is no real way of understanding that though in his situation as concussion tracking likely wasn’t happening in his junior cricket.
Quite possibly he copped some heavy concussions when he was young and it’s slowed down his reaction time significantly, thus having this flow on effect now. I guess there is no real way of understanding that though in his situation as concussion tracking likely wasn’t happening in his junior cricket.
The Ghost of Raelene
Andrew Slack (58)
It's even happened in the warm up when they are mucking around with a Soccer ball for the guy.
Was interesting listening to some commentary on it during the last Test on Tipple M and how all young cricketers now have grown up with all the gear and never allowed to bat without a helmet. This is good but also makes them more inclined to attack a short ball at times when you should get the hell out the way. They also don't play the pull shot as well because it's about bludgeoning the ball without the same fear. We have all heard the same stuff in the NFL and College Football about how they use their heads because they wear a helmet.
Once again I have no idea if some people are more susceptible but it just seems some handle it and other bodies don't.
Was interesting listening to some commentary on it during the last Test on Tipple M and how all young cricketers now have grown up with all the gear and never allowed to bat without a helmet. This is good but also makes them more inclined to attack a short ball at times when you should get the hell out the way. They also don't play the pull shot as well because it's about bludgeoning the ball without the same fear. We have all heard the same stuff in the NFL and College Football about how they use their heads because they wear a helmet.
Once again I have no idea if some people are more susceptible but it just seems some handle it and other bodies don't.
PhilClinton
Geoff Shaw (53)
Just announced, all NRL teams are required to film all contact training sessions from this year and submit them to the NRL. All footage will be reviewed with a potential change to the amount of contact drills permitted per week to be limited from 2025.
This is getting very intense.
I mentioned on these forums years ago, one of my colleagues is on the FOGS board (former origin greats) and he told me back in 2021 that the NRL was already succession planning for potentially game altering contact laws to come into effect within 10 years. He specifically called out rugby sevens as the sport the NRL were predicting to thrive during that period due to decreased contact opportunities with less players on the field. They were frustrated that the whole 9s thing hadn’t really taken off.
Looks like the NRL are really progressing with their concussion protocols, watch this space.
This is getting very intense.
I mentioned on these forums years ago, one of my colleagues is on the FOGS board (former origin greats) and he told me back in 2021 that the NRL was already succession planning for potentially game altering contact laws to come into effect within 10 years. He specifically called out rugby sevens as the sport the NRL were predicting to thrive during that period due to decreased contact opportunities with less players on the field. They were frustrated that the whole 9s thing hadn’t really taken off.
Looks like the NRL are really progressing with their concussion protocols, watch this space.
waiopehu oldboy
Stirling Mortlock (74)
ACC (NZ version of Medicare) have brought out head injury protocols that look very similar to the AIS ones. The potential difference being that ACC pays the bills e.g. 2000+ claims last year for rugby-related head injuries alone so if individuals and/ or organisations are found to be flouting the rules there's some leverage & potential sanctions to back them up.
The Ghost of Raelene
Andrew Slack (58)
9s didn’t work for 2 reasons.
1. Teams didn’t take it seriously and saw it as a pain in the ass in pre season. Sent kids and State League players.
2. They can defend the field with 9. They should have just made it 7s but that would mean copying something Rugby has. Rugby removed over half the players from the field. League starting with 13 and going to 9 isn’t as drastic.
Not the point your making re concussions and I agree. I think you can see them making moves re speeding the game up and lowering the interchange which does restrict the big impacts later in games from fresh huge blokes.
The biggest problem league has is that they say one thing about acting on concussion and then they have things like last year's grand final where the whistle basically goes into the pocket, anything but the most heinous high shot gets ignored and the sport lauds the referee for the best referee performance of the year.
They can't have it both ways in my view. Brain injuries aren't suddenly less damaging because it's the grand final. Likewise when the physicality goes up a notch and the refereeing becomes less stringent in these big games it tends to be a lot of the same players involved who are the genuine stars of the game so you're amplifying all the negatives that are going to come of it both in the short term and the longer term.
They can't have it both ways in my view. Brain injuries aren't suddenly less damaging because it's the grand final. Likewise when the physicality goes up a notch and the refereeing becomes less stringent in these big games it tends to be a lot of the same players involved who are the genuine stars of the game so you're amplifying all the negatives that are going to come of it both in the short term and the longer term.
PhilClinton
Geoff Shaw (53)
Yep well said BH. The NRL always promote their Bunker and it's review system, but many times they've chosen not to review head knocks properly depending on the game or player. Still quite a bit of discretion being applied.
Rob42
John Solomon (38)
Interesting decision in the Scotland-Wales 6 nations game - one of the Scottish players made contact with a Welsh player's head as the Welsh player made a tackle and the Scottish player looked to drive his player forward, or start the cleanout of the tackler. Unclear whether initial contact was with the head, but clearly contact with the Welsh head from Scottish head and shoulder. My initial thought was probably yellow card, given the initial contact was unclear, players were dropping and the Scot did drop his height. Ben O'Keefe and team determined no foul play, which was a surprise, saying the Scottish player did everything right - dropping height, wrapping arms. I agree the Scot couldn't have done anything more, but still a surprise to see it as no penalty - seems like an example people may come back to later.
waiopehu oldboy
Stirling Mortlock (74)
Brain injury from head knocks discovered in late Blues halfback Billy Guyton
"Billy Guyton, the former Blues and New Zealand Māori halfback who died last year aged 33, had a brain injury likely to be connected with repeated head knocks."
Stuff
www.stuff.co.nz
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waiopehu oldboy
Stirling Mortlock (74)
^ third story on 1news tonight incl a studio interview with a TV journo who's done several segments on CTE & by the sounds of the sign-off has another in the works.
Strewthcobber
Mark Ella (57)
RIP Billy
This is a pretty terrifying paragraph for contact sports everywhere.
This is a pretty terrifying paragraph for contact sports everywhere.
PhilClinton
Geoff Shaw (53)
Well the NRL might be looking into our backyard for once on how to handle dangerous head contact. Last night for the first time (that I am aware of) a player was penalised for careless contact in a tackle which resulted in head on head contact.
Was interesting listening to the commentators (on Fox at least) who were totally confused by the decision to penalise the player. As a rugby fan, I thought it would definitely have been a yellow or red card situation in our game, very clear lack of proper tackling technique from the defender which resulted in direct head on head contact and the attacking player leaving the game with a huge cut around his eye and potential damage to eye socket or cheekbone (although passed his HIA).
Was interesting listening to the commentators (on Fox at least) who were totally confused by the decision to penalise the player. As a rugby fan, I thought it would definitely have been a yellow or red card situation in our game, very clear lack of proper tackling technique from the defender which resulted in direct head on head contact and the attacking player leaving the game with a huge cut around his eye and potential damage to eye socket or cheekbone (although passed his HIA).
LeCheese
Peter Johnson (47)
Hilarious tackle technique, hilarious-er listening to the commentators' confusion at the decision. The NRL really are a long way behind most other codes when it comes to concussion prevention (not just management) - kind of bizarre considering many (the majority?) of the high-profile Australian CTE cases are rugby league players.
PhilClinton
Geoff Shaw (53)
Yeh it was quite funny how little they understand it. But at the same time, they do have Blocker Roach leading one of their commentary teams, he may as well be the poster boy for vintage era NRL player CTE.
PhilClinton
Geoff Shaw (53)
If Australia is serious about ensuring we have contact sports in this country in the next 10-15 years, I think there is some serious merit to developing an independent governing body which sets head contact guidelines across rugby, rugby league and aussie rules.
The incident last night could easily have happened in any of those three codes.
Issues become more glaring when one code is handling things drastically different to another.
The incident last night could easily have happened in any of those three codes.
Issues become more glaring when one code is handling things drastically different to another.
The Ghost of Raelene
Andrew Slack (58)
I feel nothing will happen from it. They may put these on report but nobody will be suspended like Rugby would give him a few weeks. $1500 fine and play next week.
PhilClinton
Geoff Shaw (53)
Walsh (injured player) has confirmed facial fractures from it today after scans last night. I feel that might push them into a corner where they've put the player on report, issued a penalty and there is an injury. At the end of the day the NRL are about protecting their star players and Walsh will miss plenty of games now.
LeCheese
Peter Johnson (47)
This is my favourite quote from Ivan Cleary, who apparently doesn't understand that the head is located on top of the shoulders...
"I actually thought he was trying to pull out of the tackle. If he had have bent down, which the bunker was suggesting he should have, he would’ve hit him in the head with his shoulder which is not what we want."
"I actually thought he was trying to pull out of the tackle. If he had have bent down, which the bunker was suggesting he should have, he would’ve hit him in the head with his shoulder which is not what we want."