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How to Reduce Concussion

siv

First Grade
Messages
6,546
After all of the talk this week

How should RL reduce the concussion impact ?

Biggest time it ever occurred in the past was off the kickoff now after the introduction of the 10m rule and interchanges it happens way more regularly

One option tried at junior level was to reduce the 10m rule back to 5m

Any other options ?
 

Diesel

Coach
Messages
19,918
Tougher penalties for those that hit above the shoulders. There’s always going to be concussions in tackles i.e. the tackler puts their head in the wrong place, but the lazy ones that put an arm out without thinking need a long holiday on the side and a monetary fine
 

mave

Coach
Messages
12,936
Reward legs tackles by giving the tackler time to get to marker.
Legs tackles should be the norm, not the exception, but they are discouraged as it currently allows for supersonic ruck speed for the attacking team.

This also eliminates wrestle.

It is really simple stuff, that we make hard, as a game.
 

Front-Rower

First Grade
Messages
5,297
Reward legs tackles by giving the tackler time to get to marker.
Legs tackles should be the norm, not the exception, but they are discouraged as it currently allows for supersonic ruck speed for the attacking team.

This also eliminates wrestle.

It is really simple stuff, that we make hard, as a game.

Whilst I agree wholeheartedly, how do you stop the offload?
 

mave

Coach
Messages
12,936
Whilst I agree wholeheartedly, how do you stop the offload?

I'm not advocating for 1v1 tackles only. Although I do think that more offloads make for a far more attractive style of footy.

The question was how do we reduce concussion..
One answer is to encourage and reward tackling that is well away from the head of the attacker.
We are currently doing the exact opposite.
 

Dave's mate

Juniors
Messages
1,783
Reward legs tackles by giving the tackler time to get to marker.
Legs tackles should be the norm, not the exception, but they are discouraged as it currently allows for supersonic ruck speed for the attacking team.

This also eliminates wrestle.

It is really simple stuff, that we make hard, as a game.
The players skill levels have far surpassed legs only tackles. Games would be 100 all if they tried to play this way
 

mave

Coach
Messages
12,936
The players skill levels have far surpassed legs only tackles. Games would be 100 all if they tried to play this way

Lol.
f**k me.

I'm not advocating for 1v1 tackles only. Although I do think that more offloads make for a far more attractive style of footy.

The question was how do we reduce concussion..
One answer is to encourage and reward tackling that is well away from the head of the attacker.
We are currently doing the exact opposite.
 

siv

First Grade
Messages
6,546
Reward legs tackles by giving the tackler time to get to marker.

My thoughts on this and looking back a history if the play the ball

Since the removal of ability to strike for the ball in the play the ball has led a lot to our current issue

Today players are using the ball to get up. Ie placing the ball on the ground and pushing up with that arm to regain their feet and walking over the ball

In the 1950s you used to have to get up and then drop the ball which could then striked at

I would like a simple change - player playing the ball must get up raise the ball to above knee height. Then begin playing the ball normally.

This extra movement gives the tackler a few seconds to get back to marker
 

KeepingTheFaith

Referee
Messages
25,235
A lot of players swing their arms recklessly hoping to collect part of the ball and dislodge it.

If a players head dips suddenly then night night.

Not sure what the solution is.
 

Zadar

Juniors
Messages
961
No offloading, and only two per tackle, all players to wear cushion lined long pants to lessen the impact of a stray knee or hip, thick cushion lined long sleeve jerseys, akubra hats and SPF+100 sunscreen to stop a sun cancer class action in 20yrs time.

Will boxing change the rule to only punch at the torso?

You choose the sport you want to play and accept that some risks are associated with that, the governing body tries to limit the affects with rules and procedures to a degree, but if you change the essence of the sport, then the game is not rugby league anymore.

They have tried in recent years to lessen the chances by eliminating the shoulder charge, penalising high contact, and ridding spear or lifting tackles, but being a contact sport, getting a knock to the head is inevitable.
 

DC_fan

Coach
Messages
11,980
A lot of players swing their arms recklessly hoping to collect part of the ball and dislodge it.

If a players head dips suddenly then night night.

Not sure what the solution is.

I am no medical expert, but I do wonder if there is a solution? Head gear like Thurston wore and helmets like NFL players wear do not stop players from suffering concussions. Unless the experts come up with a way to stop concussions then I have great doubt about the longterm future of body contact sports, like league, AFL, Union and American Football.

If I had a young son today I would not be encouraging him to play a body contact sport.
 

Zadar

Juniors
Messages
961
The players skill levels have far surpassed legs only tackles. Games would be 100 all if they tried to play this way

What is surprising is that so many tackles have 2-3 players in them, yet very few of them is wrapping the legs up.
 

DC_fan

Coach
Messages
11,980
No offloading, and only two per tackle, all players to wear cushion lined long pants to lessen the impact of a stray knee or hip, thick cushion lined long sleeve jerseys, akubra hats and SPF+100 sunscreen to stop a sun cancer class action in 20yrs time.

Will boxing change the rule to only punch at the torso?

You choose the sport you want to play and accept that some risks are associated with that, the governing body tries to limit the affects with rules and procedures to a degree, but if you change the essence of the sport, then the game is not rugby league anymore.

They have tried in recent years to lessen the chances by eliminating the shoulder charge, penalising high contact, and ridding spear or lifting tackles, but being a contact sport, getting a knock to the head is inevitable.

good point you make about boxing.

Many people, myself included say there is insufficient numbers of quality players to make up a competition of 16 teams let alone a competition involving more teams. The potential is there that over the coming decades because of CTE the numbers of athletes wanting to play league may drop away a fair bit. Therefore creating not just a player drain but also a quality player drain.
 

Exsilium

First Grade
Messages
9,517
If there was even a skerrick of evidence to suggest that then it'd be mandatory for everyone to wear headgear.

Several makers of headgear products can back the science behind the designs and materials reducing impact forces and lateral movement of the brain. Similar studies have been conducted on motorbike helmets and their respective designs.

There’s studies you can read on it, such as the below.

https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/38/1/46.full

To study “live game” data, you’d have to pick a wide range of candidates to develop a data pool but players like Sione Matautia now wear headgear following several concussions and I don’t think he’s had anything severe since? Correct me if I’m wrong.

Anything that can assist or reduce the likelihood should be looked into.
 

AJB1102

First Grade
Messages
6,339
Several makers of headgear products can back the science behind the designs and materials reducing impact forces and lateral movement of the brain. Similar studies have been conducted on motorbike helmets and their respective designs.

There’s studies you can read on it, such as the below.

https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/38/1/46.full

To study “live game” data, you’d have to pick a vet wide range of candidates to develop a data pool but players like Sione Matautia now wear headgear following several concussions and I don’t think he’s had anything severe since? Correct me if I’m wrong.

Anything that can assist or reduce the likelihood should be looked into.

Fair enough. I did think of Sione and think you're right that he's not been as prone to KOs.

Definitely should be looked into. If the makers claim they help and are right the NRL would wanna get on it.
 

Exsilium

First Grade
Messages
9,517
Fair enough. I did think of Sione and think you're right that he's not been as prone to KOs.

Definitely should be looked into. If the makers claim they help and are right the NRL would wanna get on it.

I’d imagine the NRL would steer clear of it because it could, in some legal way, leave them wide open but clubs could make that change.

In 10-15 years time, when the data pool for these brain studies is collated, it could have serious implications on the sport but why wait till then to look at reducing it.
 

DC_fan

Coach
Messages
11,980
Several makers of headgear products can back the science behind the designs and materials reducing impact forces and lateral movement of the brain. Similar studies have been conducted on motorbike helmets and their respective designs.

There’s studies you can read on it, such as the below.

https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/38/1/46.full

To study “live game” data, you’d have to pick a wide range of candidates to develop a data pool but players like Sione Matautia now wear headgear following several concussions and I don’t think he’s had anything severe since? Correct me if I’m wrong.

Anything that can assist or reduce the likelihood should be looked into.

A lot of on field trials would need to be completed over a number of seasons. My only thought is that NFL players use a more advanced form of head gear and it really hasn't helped stop the number of concussion related problems in that sport.
 

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