Former Kangaroos star Ian Roberts will reveal rugby league has left him with brain da

[Springs]

Headgears are only really good for avoiding superficial injuries eg cuts and grazes, best thing to prevent concussion is, from memory, a mouthguard.

Rugby League has been very lax when it comes to player welfare and concussions. Endless times in the past we've seen players groggy as anything, knocked out only to later appear on the field again. This has to stop. Even the one week off afterwards is probably not enough.

As mentioned above by eozsmiles, when they're getting put back in the field in a groggy condition, probably unable to make a rational decision, that's when it comes back on the clubs and the competition as a whole for displaying negligence towards their players.

As mentioned also, doesn't seem to be a money grab, more a warning to people. And until the clubs start dealing properly with concussions (which it seems they finally are taking steps towards doing) this is an issue that will keep popping up.

I really don't understand the 'unable to make a rational decision' argument. I've been concussed 4 times and played on twice, both times I knew I shouldn't have but I did. You're pretty aware there's something wrong. A lot of rugby league players play on regardless of their safety and we all know that. If they play on with obvious broken legs and broken jaws then they are going to play on with a headache and fuzzy eyes.
The new concussion rule they have is great for that reason. But I can guarantee most RL players would not sue from damages from concussion, because they make a clear choice to play on. That's why I would never sue despite suffering concussion and ongoing neck injuries from legal tackles. It's my choice to play and it's my (stupid) choice to play on if I get hurt.

 

[Springs]

Big difference between a bad back and brain damage. If you had to make a choice of which one you had to suffer from I bet you wouldn't pick brain damage.

And there's a big difference between big permanent brain damage people are worried about and not being able to remember lines the next day.

 

[Springs]

Gee some real compassionate types on LU.

Guy reveals he has brain damage from playing the game, and he is a scumbag, lowlife, idiot and a attention seeker?

If someone comes forward expecting people to be sorry for him for suffering 'brain damage' in his career, when he has bashed people and inflicted awful injuries on others before, then yes he's an idiot.

 

[NrlCoach]

Dave Smith and the NRL has done the right thing in doing everything possible to protect the game as well as players from themselves.

Smith should be applauded for it. His tough stance on shoulder charges and fistfights will be highlights and iconic parts of his legacy that will be benefiting the game years from now.

First of all it was the ARLC that banned the shoulder charge not David Smith. They banned due to pressure from the News limmited hacks like Rothfield. It had noting to do with being sued in the future etc. The NFL and the AFL would of banned the shoulder charge from their competition if that was true. Don't believe what the drunk Rothfield writes. If its really about safety then they should ban both the attacker and the defender using the shoulder charge. Frank Pritchard has worked out how to use the shoulder charge legally on Friday :lol:

Because of him Greg Inglis and Ben Barba are less likely to ever have the same issues Ian Roberts is now facing.

Did you see Frank Pritchard legal shoulder charge on todd lowrie? The shoulder charge is only banned if you are the tackler but its legal to use it as a ball carrier. LOLZ u thinking a shoulder to the body will give you brain damage :lol:
[youtube]dl4mWfvlmnY[/youtube]

 

[Springs]

Some of the views in this thread are incredibly short sighted, ignorant, naive and lacking any real world practicality. People having a go at Roberts simply for discussing brain damage are more f**ked in the head than he is, and unlike him you have no excuse for such sheer stupidity.

Some people have mentioned other codes.

Well this is an area where the NRL is indisputably leading the way. In the AFL you can still shoulder charge, even off the ball when a player is looking in a different direction and has no chance of bracing themselves. I wish the AFL followed the lead of Dave Smith and banned shoulder charges completely.

Smith should be applauded for his courage in making an unpopular but very necessary decision.

I also remember in the thread about the shoulder charge how so many people were saying this is an overreaction and how nobody was getting brain damaged blahblahblah. Well Roberts played in an era when the game was much slower and players were much smaller than they are now. Modern day players will have it even worse when they are 40 or 50 years old.

Yeah Steve Menzies has it so bad that last year he could only barely manage to play top-grade rugby league. That's what a 20+ year career gets you!

 

[El Diablo]

ignore him

he has had brain damage since he was dropped on his mongoloid head at birth

 

[Perth Tiger]

Big difference between a bad back and brain damage. If you had to make a choice of which one you had to suffer from I bet you wouldn't pick brain damage.

But if you had a choice to be a superstar and earn millions over a 10 year career with the consequences of some memory loss or slog your guts out for 40 years on an average wage with the consequence of back pain what would you choose

 

[thorson1987]

ignore him

he has had brain damage since he was dropped on his mongoloid head at birth

What's your excuse.

He made you look like an idiot with your selective quoting of articles

 

[adamkungl]

The point wasn't really to argue over whether arthritis is worse than brain damage.

The point is Rugby League, played fairly and legally, still has long term consequences from the physicality. Every player that steps onto that field is aware of this, and those at the top are well compensated for it.

New precautions to deal with concussions - great. Changing or removing parts of the game to dubiously lower the risk of concussion despite none of the players wanting it - bad.

 

[El Diablo]

What's your excuse.

He made you look like an idiot with your selective quoting of articles

Bunniesman's groupie is still stalking :lol:

 

[thorson1987]

Bunniesman's groupie is still stalking :lol:

Your the biggest stalker on this forum.

You follow him everywhere.

You only post in some threads to have a go at him.

 

[El Diablo]

bullshit

you keep rushing to defend him

groupie :lol:

 

[BunniesMan]

Just finished watching Sunday Night. And shock horror, Peter FitzSimons also included his code. He used examples of a failure in duty of care in all codes, including his own, a big part of the story was the brain of his rugby coach being sent to America to be tested.

The experts say there should be a mandatory 4 week rest for all concussed players.

 

[drago brelli]

But if you had a choice to be a superstar and earn millions over a 10 year career with the consequences of some memory loss or slog your guts out for 40 years on an average wage with the consequence of back pain what would you choose

'SOME MEMORY LOSS'...what the hell does that mean? How do you define that? You should get checked for brain damage. I know of a legend fullback from the mid 70s to early 80s who has been diagnosed with early onset Parkinsons. He is 57 and he was diagnosed two years ago. He puts it down to being knocked out too many times and the evidence points to it.

 

[Perth Tiger]

'SOME MEMORY LOSS'...what the hell does that mean? How do you define that? You should get checked for brain damage. I know of a legend fullback from the mid 70s to early 80s who has been diagnosed with early onset Parkinsons. He is 57 and he was diagnosed two years ago. He puts it down to being knocked out too many times and the evidence points to it.

I didn't define it dipshit. I asked a question! Everyone knows the consequences of concussion now so the question still remains what would people choose now. A career in league or any contact sport that lasts for 10 years where if you are half decent and don't waste it all on gambling and booze can set you up for a life time or a career that lasts for 40 plus years and if you don't have any other skills you will be lucky to be able to pay of a house (in Perth at least, not sure what it is like in other states) and provide an ok standard of living for your family with other physical long term consequences.

 

[maccattack]

And the people who get Parkinson's and dementia who never play?

 

[BunniesMan]

And the people who get lung cancer who never smoke? Ridiculous logic.

 

[I Bleed Maroon]

The bloke doing the Report on Sunday Night just said he reckons a mandatory 4 week stand down for every concussion. Is he for real? Not having super stars playing for that long would kill attendance dead.

 

[Canard]

The bloke doing the Report on Sunday Night just said he reckons a mandatory 4 week stand down for every concussion. Is he for real? Not having super stars playing for that long would kill attendance dead.

That's surely not any type of point at all? In fact that is the opposite of a point.

Boxing has enforced this type of break for decades.

 

[drago brelli]

The bloke doing the Report on Sunday Night just said he reckons a mandatory 4 week stand down for every concussion. Is he for real? Not having super stars playing for that long would kill attendance dead.

The 'bloke' just so happens to be a doctor and an expert in this area. Still, the seriousness of this topic is lost on this forum. Let's move on. Let's talk about how the carbon tax is ruining rugby league.