Liam Fulton

[Radical Rat]

If Fulton passes all the necessary concussion tests then I wouldn't think the club has grounds to stand him down for the rest of the year. If we did he could argue that we are inhibiting his capacity for future earnings in his career.

 

[Patorick]

He'll play.

But he shouldn't be allowed to for at least a week or two.

Hopefully some level of sanity prevails.

 

[Ron's_Mate]

Tigers' Fulton to take extended break

James MacSmith
Published: June 12, 2014 - 12:59PM

Wests Tigers back-rower Liam Fulton is set to sit out at least a month of NRL action as his short to medium term rugby league future is assessed following a series of concussions.

Fulton suffered his fourth concussion in just six games this season in the Tigers' round 13 win over Newcastle on Sunday.

The 29-year-old has been stood down from Friday's round 14 match against South Sydney.

He will be put through a series of tests from external medical personnel in an attempt to ascertain what could be causing the repeated concussions and when it could be safe to return to the field.

Given the focus this season on player welfare, Tigers coach Mick Potter said Fulton's wellbeing is the club's primary concern.

"He is feeling fine, he doesn't think he has any symptoms but everyone is concerned for him as we should be and we want him to be right for footy," Potter said at training on Thursday.

"Our CEO (Grant Mayer) has raised his future with me but standing him down (for the rest of the season) isn't going to come under consideration until we have talked to the experts on which is the best way forward.

"Because it is in its infancy as to how things are proceeding with head knocks, no one really knows, because there hasn't been any evidence in the past for people to say this is what we need to do.

"We will take a very conservative way of looking at things and we have to be advised by the people that know better than us.

Stand-in skipper Braith Anasta said Fulton's Tigers teammates were worried about his future.

"The whole team is concerned about Liam and how he is health-wise," Anasta said.

"We don't know what is causing it or if it is going to keep happening.

"It is a bit of an unknown at the moment and we are just supporting Liam and hoping that things do get better and he gets through this tough period.

"'Fults' is a larrikin. He plays it down a bit, he is a tough bugger too, he wants to play, he is not happy about it.

"He also knows he has a wife and a daughter at home and he has to look after them and his own welfare, so he is taking it very seriously."

This story was found at: http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/tigers-fulton-to-take-extended-break-20140612-39z6u.html

 

[Tigers Tale]

"He will be put through a series of tests from external medical personnel in an attempt to ascertain what could be causing the repeated concussions."

Other guys belting him around the head would be a good place to start looking. I have seen him start a game with no cuts to his melon and half way through blood is squirting everwhere...it is a way of putting players off the field during a game.

This tactic needs to be looked into. If a player goes off for a 15 minute assessment then I reckon a 10 minute stint in the bin for the guy that caused it (if a malcious act caused it)...that should be the equaliser.

 

[Magpie Tragic]

"He will be put through a series of tests from external medical personnel in an attempt to ascertain what could be causing the repeated concussions."

Other guys belting him around the head would be a good place to start looking. I have seen him start a game with no cuts to his melon and half way through blood is squirting everwhere...it is a way of putting players off the field during a game.

This tactic needs to be looked into. If a player goes off for a 15 minute assessment then I reckon a 10 minute stint in the bin for the guy that caused it (if a malcious act caused it)...that should be the equaliser.

"Other guys belting him around the head would be a good place to start looking." :lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[ucantseeme]

Whether he's back out there next week or next year it should be a condition that he wear headgear ....would be stupid of him and totally irresponsible of the club (while he's at the Tigers)and his manager if he doesn't wear it for the rest of his playing career

I would have thought the medical staff would insist any player who had multiple concussions wear headgear or the player would don it for their own self care anyway. I am not a doctor but you would think it would offer some protection so why not wear it? I know in the NFL the helmets don't seem to offer much protection but that is more to due with defenders using their own helmets as weapons against opponents.

The players who regularly wear headgear are Thurston, Ballin, Friend, Srama, Croker, Soward. That is pretty much it. Do they wear it just for the sake of it?

 

[N.C.]

I used to wear it as a kid. From memory it helped a bit in a punch-up, but wasn't especially good for much else...

 

[magpie guy]

Headgear is probably better than nothing, but really doesn't do much in a collision situation. Concussions stem from a shaking of the brain inside the skull...half an inch of foam doesn't really do anything to stop the force of a head knock. It is mostly useful to lessen bruising and stop cuts to the head.

 

[The Charlatan]

Don't want to see the bloke end up with some awful brain disorder simply because he took a few knocks to the head on the pitch. If the club standing him down for a few weeks to let him get some time to heal under the belt simply for his own sake.

Last I checked, the brain was a pretty vital organ and we've seen first hand what absence of adequate brain function does to a person via Tiger05 & Bunniesman.

 

[Leaguelegend20]

Let him heal for a few weeks, but the talk of ending his career is a crock of shit. Plenty of NRL players across the ages have had the f**k knocked out of them, and the majority live well into their 80's. And those who don't die young from other reasons. I understand it's a concern, but it's a bit too much political correctness to suggest ending the blokes career because he's been knocked out.

 

[N.C.]

What the f**k has political correctness got to do with it?

 

[Leaguelegend20]

In that the whole community has excessively jumped on a band wagon for an injury that nobody knows anything about...

Why rub a bloke out for his entire career for an unknown injury?

I am not saying it is not a serious issue. It definitely is. The guy needs a month to recover. But suggestions of ENDING HIS CAREER because of FOUR head knocks is an absolute overreaction if I have ever seen one.

I am willing to be debated on this issue. Please don't resort to petty retorts and convince me of your case, I am happy to change my mind.

EDIT: If the doctor's figure that he should end his career then he definately should. Liam should only go on the orders of DOCTORS. Not journo's who splash his story in an attempt to create hysteria to make money.

If the doctor's decide his health would be better from not playing for X amount of weeks, I am all for that. I am NOT all for him sitting on the sideline AGAINST HIS WILL because of dumb stories cultivated by fear mongering media outlets.

 

[Tiger05]

If the doctor's figure that he should end his career then he definately should. Liam should only go on the orders of DOCTORS. Not journo's who splash his story in an attempt to create hysteria to make money.

Agreed but even then the doctors should have some justification. I think the club answered this well in stating we really don't know how to handle the situation and we are trying to get the right advice.

The situation to me is unclear. How many past rugby league players have suffered long term effects of head injuries ? Is it really an issue ?

 

[Leaguelegend20]

Agreed but even then the doctors should have some justification. I think the club answered this well in stating we really don't know how to handle the situation and we are trying to get the right advice.

The situation to me is unclear. How many past rugby league players have suffered long term effects of head injuries ? Is it really an issue ?

Exactly... Thank god somebody sees sense amidst this f**king shit storm.

It is the innate hypocrisy in what these pricks say. They say we have no idea what the injury is, so lets rub the bloke out for the rest of his CAREER. It makes absolutely no sense. No doctors have come out and proven anything about the injury. There is no solid PROVEN evidence that this injury is as severe as the media makes it out to be. Before they get facts, why ruin a blokes job for absolutely no reason.

 

[Shanghai Charlie]

If I was Fulton Id take a month off to start with and get as many tests as possible and overseas if necessary and get as many angles on research as I could.

Im sure his wife and mates would say the same thing.

 

[The Charlatan]

Exactly... Thank god somebody sees sense amidst this f**king shit storm.

It is the innate hypocrisy in what these pricks say. They say we have no idea what the injury is, so lets rub the bloke out for the rest of his CAREER. It makes absolutely no sense. No doctors have come out and proven anything about the injury. There is no solid PROVEN evidence that this injury is as severe as the media makes it out to be. Before they get facts, why ruin a blokes job for absolutely no reason.

Except that concussion is dangerous in it's own right. Anything injury that involves the brain should be taken seriously. He may seem OK now, but what about the long-standing effects it may have on him later on in life? The concussions now may accelerate the onset of more debilitating conditions later on in life. They don't just have a duty of care to make sure he's OK to play the next game, they need to make sure that his quality of life 30-50 years isn't completely f**ked.

 

[Shanghai Charlie]

In that the whole community has excessively jumped on a band wagon for an injury that nobody knows anything about...

Why rub a bloke out for his entire career for an unknown injury?

I am not saying it is not a serious issue. It definitely is. The guy needs a month to recover. But suggestions of ENDING HIS CAREER because of FOUR head knocks is an absolute overreaction if I have ever seen one.

I am willing to be debated on this issue. Please don't resort to petty retorts and convince me of your case, I am happy to change my mind.

EDIT: If the doctor's figure that he should end his career then he definately should. Liam should only go on the orders of DOCTORS. Not journo's who splash his story in an attempt to create hysteria to make money.

If the doctor's decide his health would be better from not playing for X amount of weeks, I am all for that. I am NOT all for him sitting on the sideline AGAINST HIS WILL because of dumb stories cultivated by fear mongering media outlets.

When has any journo said it will end his career?
The only one creating hysteria is you.

They said it could end his career. And it very well could.

If not the last concussion I would suggest the next one will.

Only got two or three years max left anyway.

 

[Tigerm]

Agreed but even then the doctors should have some justification. I think the club answered this well in stating we really don't know how to handle the situation and we are trying to get the right advice.

The situation to me is unclear. How many past rugby league players have suffered long term effects of head injuries ? Is it really an issue ?

It is an issue, if they get it wrong. Better to err on the side of caution.
I understand that the NFL are now seeing a lot of problems from past players, with a lot of suicides happening, in the past they (concussions) were not related because no one thought it should be, but now they are investigating.

Look at Ali?

I think Fulton should seriously consider retiring from playing, for himself & his family, after all it is only a game at the end of the day.

 

[madunit]

Apparently Fulton will sit out the rest of the year now

Edit: Just saw this tweet from the RLW Mole

BREAKING:
MASSIVE story in @LeagueWeek TODAY
@Wests_Tigers BAN Liam Fulton from playing again this year after 4 concussions
Sad for Liam

 

[Tiger05]

It is an issue, if they get it wrong. Better to err on the side of caution.

I agree however at the moment the comparisons aren't being made to past rugby league players. You used Ali as an example however I'm not sure boxing and rugby league can be easily compared.

Look at Ali?

I think Fulton should seriously consider retiring from playing, for himself & his family, after all it is only a game at the end of the day.

I agree however we don't know the whole story and the doctors advice etc. Its a tough one to know how to handle because we simply do not have all the facts and there will be some guess work involved.