If you were (or currently are) a parent to young children...

[Knight87]

despite the increase in the number of injuries and the magnitude of them, the distorted negativity from the News Ltd foe in the media and any other risks, would you let your children play Rugby League or not?

 

[ozbash]

yes.

 

[The Brain]

In two minds about this ,I think that may be it is best suited that kids under 10 to play a touch ,oztag may be some kind of hybrid game as the demand ,pace and hardness of the game these days is demanding.
Dont know, a toughy.
On the week end at a barbecue we started the kids off with touch then they wanted to play tackle,it got rough and the kids were getting hurt so we changed t to "Held" then back to touch.
Take soccers new limited rules -great idea for the young kids they all get the ball and have a go instead of bunching up into a huddle going knowhere,they get to dribble the ball and run with it so to speak and all get a chance to score.
For those who do not know-9 ,7,8, and under 6's have only 4 players a side no goalies small goal posts so you see every kid gets a chance to run and score-Thought it was silly at first but its damn good ,fast paced and educational.
The same could be done for league ,Im sure of that.
The kids love their soccer but they love playing footy too and I guess the consensus is parents would rather play the kids in soccer first as its a safer sport.
So the NRL should really come up with an idea for the kids to play a new type of game that the schools as well can take up.

 

[innsaneink]

---

 

[Tokyo_Raider]

Once upon a time I'd have said 'Absolutely yes'.

Increasingly, I'm not sure. I'm beginning to think that soccer might be a better option, at least for a few years.

 

[The Colonel]

No problem what so ever, my young bloke has just turned five and compared to a number of other kids in his year at school he is a bit smaller but he gets in amongst them.

I played soccer and rugby league when I was younger and have more problems with injuries resulting from soccer than I ever did from league.

 

[International RL]

Seriously. This is ridiculous and pure media hype bullsh*t.

RL has been statistically proven (does anyone have that study handy) to be one of the safer sports for young kids to play in terms of injuries etc.

The game is very slow and the kids far to small and weak to actually do any damage to each other.

The only concern is big kids v little kids. Though that can easily be solved with weight for age etc.

 

[taxidriver]

will not let my son play against polynesian kids with 20kgs weight advantage

 

[Parra]

Yes.

You should see the kids who come over from soccer and their excitement at actually being able to get the ball, let alone pick it up and have a run. A bit of contact is the icing on the cake.

 

[innsaneink]

Seriously. This is ridiculous and pure media hype bullsh*t.

RL has been statistically proven (does anyone have that study handy) to be one of the safer sports for young kids to play in terms of injuries etc.

The game is very slow and the kids far to small and weak to actually do any damage to each other.

The only concern is big kids v little kids. Though that can easily be solved with weight for age etc.

I had paperwork with figures a few years ago with stats showing league injurys were lower than afl,soccer and hockey andsome other sports....wish I'd kept it.
My sons aunt is always onat me about him playing soccer, hes on the small side, is always the smallest on the field but in 11 season ofplaying league &onion the worst hes copped is a banged head when he hit the deck hard and a fat lipfrom a head clash. My sis still refuses to believe its safer despite the hard facts I provded her.
The ARL should promote vision of 6s and 7s with one kid with the ball and 15 chasing him, catching him and him coming to a stop....there is no collisions like these uniformed parents see on FNF until easily the mid teens....junior footy is really quite soft, though if kids are taught to tackle properly they rarely get hurt.
Parents see Hunt/Anasta...SBW/Clinton type collisions and imagine its like that in juniors.

 

[innsaneink]

will not let my son play against polynesian kids with 20kgs weight advantage

If he's taught to tackle properly, and isnt scared, he will be fine.
Big kids are 99% of the time verrrry sloooow.

 

[simmo1]

Parents see Hunt/Anasta...SBW/Clinton type collisions and imagine its like that in juniors.

Thats exactly it. While the shoulder charge is banned in junior footy, can you imagine a f**king 10 year old trying to pull off a SBW? It just wouldn't work.

 

[magpie_man]

My daughter can play RL if she wants. I'd rather she did ballet, but oh well.

 

[Frailty]

In junior football (in close to all areas) there are special rules (called Safe Play in Parramatta) that covers from under 6s to Under 15s...

These are a whole range of rules to prevent damage, from no shoulder charges, no lifting in tackles, no 'slinging' and no tackles above the level of the armpits.

 

[sooperdooper]

i let my child choose what sport they do. I encourage them and drum into that sports are important on so many different levels, but they can choose which one.

 

[God-King Dean]

F*ck yeah. I could put my son in an AFL or soccer team.

But I want grandchildren.

 

[macavity]

my (future) boys will be playing RL.

or their mum would disown them.

my wife rocks....

 

[El Diablo]

F*ck yeah. I could put my son in an AFL or soccer team.

But I want grandchildren.

:lol:

 

[adamkungl]

My future kids will play league when they're 5. Well if they want to I suppose.

 

[Shorty]

Yeah....why not?
Complete athletes playing League(uh oh I didn't put Rugby in front of it!) is going to be completely different to kids playing League.

Soccer and AFL may be viewed as safer but the kids aren't going to be able to walk very well on those legs in a couple of decades.