Match Discussion: Round 9 vs St Geo Illa @ Suncorp Stadium, Milton / Yuggera-Turrbal

[Nutz]

If a player ever sues the NRL over a CTE related disease / condition it won't come down to 1 incident. They'll make an argument that the NRL didn't do enough to stop concussions from happening. I can't see these cases coming up for some time but you never know. The AFL are already dealing with their 1st one. It doesn't even have to be an effected player who takes legal action. Their family can do it.

I think the NRL have done a pretty good job in getting players into the HIA as it's needed, and if they're failing, making them stand down for 11 days. They're doing a good job of ensuring a concussion doesn't turn into a catastrophic brain injury later in the same game or a week later. What they've done so far, fails at address repeated head knocks over a long period of time, like a player's whole career. To a court, whether it's accidental or deliberate won't make a bit of difference. They'll only look at what the NRL have done to minimise head contact, which to date is nothing.

Look at Mario Fenech. He's in a nursing home with dementia. Spud Carroll is already showing signs. There's no way to know if they're in that position due to an accidental head knock, a deliberate one, or heaps of them (both deliberate and accidental) over the period of their careers.

As an example, rugby union have the chest rule. If you hit in the chest or higher it's an automatic send off. And they enforce this rule (they did it in a world cup final) and continued to do it until the players fell into line. If anyone sues the ARU they can then go back and say "Well look what we implemented. A rule designed to eliminate head knocks as much as possible." They'll be sweet. What can the NRL say? We tried to sin bin a few people but everyone yelled at us so we folded like deck chairs.

Agree and Mario was on the tail end of an era where players purposely went out to hurt people. Watch replays of the John Satler era.
I'm all for what the NRL are trying to implement and most coaches, in fact the whole rugby league community, simply want consistency.
I just wish all this happened when I played because I probably could breathe through my nose now.

 

[TheDefinitionOfMadness]

Some good points there nate. Has there been an increase in head knocks though or is it that the definitions and scrutiny has increased?
Unfortunately it happens, it's a contact sport.
Preventativemeasure is not going work all the time because if the defender lowers his target and the ball runner lowers his angle it's going to happen or if the ball runner loses his footing.
If there's no intent and it's not direct intentional force then a penalty should be sufficient.
It would be a brave judge to convict someone of manslaughter when there's no intent and it's an accident.
I don't cop that a defender is lazy either under certain circumstances like towards the end of game or extra time because he's is under fatigue. That could also be argued in court as mitigation.
Sometimes I think journalists have no idea how hard it is to play rugby league at NRL level.
Generally, I think these modern day athletes do a tremendous job.
That Curran tackle on Haas goes against everything I've said and should have been fined or suspended heavily.
If a player is rubbed out then the fine should be shared by the injured player and his club.

I reckon for sure there is more scrutiny than back in 80s / 90s. Every game now is covered on TV with heaps of cameras, as opposed to 1 or 2 games a week back then.

Nothing the NRL do will completely stop high tackles because it is a body contact sport. But if they do nothing to try and keep them down as low as possible they'll leave themselves wide open to litigation. Even if they win every time they'll need to spend about $1 million a case to defend the matter.

You make some good points that as a rugby league fan I can completely agree with. However, whoever presides over these cases won't consider any of those because they'll be seen as irrelevant. There'll be 2 questions asked. 1. Did playing rugby league contribute to the condition? The answer will be yes because of all the research already done that shows repeated head knocks lead to CTE and dementia etc. 2. What did the sport do do mitigate head knocks? As it stands right now...........not much at all.

As soon as they lose 1 case the floodgates will open and they'll be bankrupt pretty quickly.

 

[Nutz]

I reckon for sure there is more scrutiny than back in 80s / 90s. Every game now is covered on TV with heaps of cameras, as opposed to 1 or 2 games a week back then.

Nothing the NRL do will completely stop high tackles because it is a body contact sport. But if they do nothing to try and keep them down as low as possible they'll leave themselves wide open to litigation. Even if they win every time they'll need to spend about $1 million a case to defend the matter.

You make some good points that as a rugby league fan I can completely agree with. However, whoever presides over these cases won't consider any of those because they'll be seen as irrelevant. There'll be 2 questions asked. 1. Did playing rugby league contribute to the condition? The answer will be yes because of all the research already done that shows repeated head knocks lead to CTE and dementia etc. 2. What did the sport do do mitigate head knocks? As it stands right now...........not much at all.

As soon as they lose 1 case the floodgates will open and they'll be bankrupt pretty quickly.

Of course, I agree with all that DOM.
I was actually talking the floodgates as you say.
It would be interesting to see if and how many cases would be successful.
News Limited could argue that the ARL didn't know what they were doing before they got involved.

 

[Tigerm]

Squad Update: NRL Round 9 vs Dragons

Wests Tigers can provide a squad update for Saturday night’s Round 9 match against the Dragons.

www.weststigers.com.au

Starford To’a has been ruled out with a minor neck injury, with Brent Naden shifting to the centres, and Charlie Staines entering the squad on the wing.

Solomona Faataape, who was initially named in the extended squad, is unavailable due to personal reasons.

 

[Tigerm]

Can't say I can recall this ref?
Hopefully it won't be burned into my memory after Sat night

 

[Perth Tiger]

At the start of the year I didn’t think I would be this worried with Toa missing a game.

Staines hasn’t played any games for a long time so will be interesting to see how he goes. A big factor in our turn around has been the meters gained by our wingers which he has been weak at in the last so we will need a big game from him.

It would be interesting to hear the reasoning behind not going with Luke L this week

 

[Nutz]

At the start of the year I didn’t think I would be this worried with Toa missing a game.

Staines hasn’t played any games for a long time so will be interesting to see how he goes. A big factor in our turn around has been the meters gained by our wingers which he has been weak at in the last so we will need a big game from him.

It would be interesting to hear the reasoning behind not going with Luke L this week

I wish we could keep our best team on the paddock. It will be our only way to make the finals imo.

 

[Das Hassler]

It would be interesting to hear the reasoning behind not going with Luke L this week

Maybe?? the thought was with Naden switching to centre it'd be a safer bet having Staines outside him as they've played a lot of games together and would/ should be more in sync defensively ?

 

[TheDefinitionOfMadness]

At the start of the year I didn’t think I would be this worried with Toa missing a game.

Staines hasn’t played any games for a long time so will be interesting to see how he goes. A big factor in our turn around has been the meters gained by our wingers which he has been weak at in the last so we will need a big game from him.

It would be interesting to hear the reasoning behind not going with Luke L this week

Yep. Naden defending in the centres is a massive worry as well

 

[Pezz70]

At the start of the year I didn’t think I would be this worried with Toa missing a game.

Staines hasn’t played any games for a long time so will be interesting to see how he goes. A big factor in our turn around has been the meters gained by our wingers which he has been weak at in the last so we will need a big game from him.

It would be interesting to hear the reasoning behind not going with Luke L this week

Luke L is not ready for the big time yet. Seems a really nice kid, I really hope he takes the step to the top level, I think he probably should spend the season in Flegg this year (train with the main squad too) build his confidence and body.

 

[Tiger Ted]

At the start of the year I didn’t think I would be this worried with Toa missing a game.

Staines hasn’t played any games for a long time so will be interesting to see how he goes. A big factor in our turn around has been the meters gained by our wingers which he has been weak at in the last so we will need a big game from him.

It would be interesting to hear the reasoning behind not going with Luke L this week

LL has not been named in any grade this week coz I’d expect if he were available he would’ve been in ahead of Staines

 

[Nutz]

LL has not been named in any grade this week coz I’d expect if he were available he would’ve been in ahead of Staines

Must be injured because he's up to it.

 

[Perth Tiger]

Luke L is not ready for the big time yet. Seems a really nice kid, I really hope he takes the step to the top level, I think he probably should spend the season in Flegg this year (train with the main squad too) build his confidence and body.

Agree he is not up to it full but he goes well with a game or two at a time for a kid

 

[Nutz]

Agree he is not up to it full but he goes well with a game or two at a time for a kid

Yep and the way you describe it, it's how we should develop these guys.
They come in for a cameo because of injuries then after a game or two, go back to reserve grade and work on what he's learnt.....and so it goes on.
I'd like to see the same with Luke Laulilii, Kit Laulilii, Tristan Hope (even those he's older) and Makasini.
Unfortunately, something is missing with Justin Matamua.

 

[Benchtiger]

Staines really needs to step up and perform, he should be an establish first grader by now in his career, if he doesn't I don't see a future for him at the WT.

 

[TheDefinitionOfMadness]

Staines really needs to step up and perform, he should be an establish first grader by now in his career, if he doesn't I don't see a future for him at the WT.

I reckon he would have been a good solid 1st grader 20 years ago. To be an effective winger now you need to be able consistently get 10 metres every carry on your own line against a set defence. Basically a 105kg wrecking ball. On top of that you've still got to be a finisher. He's just not big enough. He's also not skilled enough for any other position. He's whole hearted much like Corey Thompson was.

 

[Tigerm]

Match Preview: NRL Round 9 vs Dragons

Magic Round is back for another year, as Wests Tigers take on the Dragons this Saturday night.

www.weststigers.com.au

Records are made to be broken.

 

[Tiger Ted]

Staines really needs to step up and perform, he should be an establish first grader by now in his career, if he doesn't I don't see a future for him at the WT.

Staines is well down the pecking order.Its only coz of our horrendous injury toll re outside backs that he gets the call up.He won’t be getting another contract at concord unless he suddenly & miraculously starts channeling the guru EG

 

[Pezz70]

Must be injured because he's up to it.

Broken hand

 

[Wizardman]

Putting an ex-footballer cap on.
I can say that by flattening your head and body angle ( leaning forward) prior to contact, you're just as likely to get hit in the head.
Most attackers these days run more upright so they can tie up 3 defenders. Also it makes it easier to offload, swerve or sidestep step... but this gives tacklers more area of the body to target.
By leaning forward you will get head contact. It seems a contradiction of terms I know.
If Marty Lang played footy now, I suspect he wouldn't have as many head knocks, not deliberate ones.
As the clampdown and scrutiny of head contact continues, I hope accidental contact is further considered with little or no punishment.
I know the NRL are gun-shy because of legal action but a crime needs to have intent or recklessness to get a conviction.

How does boxing and the MMA get around all this?

To me, as much as I love combat sport, this is one of the greatest mysteries that surround sport.