NRL issue concussion breach notices - huge fines

[shaggs]

Not sure if I'm happy with this.

This has come about purely because of a nuffy League hating elitist throwing a tantrum on TV and in his column.

I hope the clubs respond and fight the charge. I have no issue with the concussion protocol or punishing clubs who flout it, BUT until proven otherwise I'll trust the qualified trainer on the field doing the assessment over a glorified keyboard warrior making a medical assessment from his couch.

From my experience as a trainer and in the medical industry, there is no way the trainer can assess a player on the field with any accuracy and/or repeatability.

Players, coaches and trainers know if a player has been stung. You look at a players eyes, ask them the questions and away you go.
If the player says I'm ok, there are very few trainers who could pull someone off.

Does anyone here think the cows trainer would be able to get JT off for a slight bump?

Trainers are under immense pressure from the coaches and players and now the NRL.

Small bumps are hard to police, but times like when Dugan was asleep, and the game stopped, then was suddenly ok? That trainer should be sacked.
Elliot was obviously concussed. That trainer needs to answer to the NRL. What about the doctor who is supposed to be reviewing the knocks? Where was he in both of the instances?

 

[JamesRustle]

Nice to see some decisive and quick action for a change. How fricking stupid are clubs??

Very quick... haven't the concussion rules been abused since they were introduced in 2014?

Why the heavy handed approach for this weekend?

Next weekend... business as usual.

 

[shaggs]

Brown said in his press conference Elliot was cleared of concussion on the hit from Hunt.

Knights wouldn't be paying a fine if it wasn't for that bandana wearing guy having a whinge.

Who cleared him?

 

[Caped Crusader]

Not sure if I'm happy with this.

This has come about purely because of a nuffy League hating elitist throwing a tantrum on TV and in his column.

I hope the clubs respond and fight the charge. I have no issue with the concussion protocol or punishing clubs who flout it, BUT until proven otherwise I'll trust the qualified trainer on the field doing the assessment over a glorified keyboard warrior making a medical assessment from his couch.

I wouldnt be assuming club trainers are experts in concussion symptoms

Would you be trusting Alfie Langer to give you a medical assessment?

 

[adamkungl]

I wouldnt be assuming club trainers are experts in concussion symptoms

Would you be trusting Alfie Langer to give you a medical assessment?

I'll trust the bloke who's job it is to do it over Peter Fitzsimons, or Todd Greenberg for that matter.
This is nothing more than a response to media faux outrage.

If they are proven to have flouted the criteria (I don't know what the criteria is) then fine - but like I said I hope they fight it.

Dugan lies down every second tackle ffs. As likely he had a sore face as a concussion.

 

[shaggs]

I wouldnt be assuming club trainers are experts in concussion symptoms

Would you be trusting Alfie Langer to give you a medical assessment?

This is minimum qualifications to be an NRL level trainer.

Lower grades, you need a level 1, with at least 1 Level 2 as part of the team.
https://playnrl.com/trainer/trainer-courses/level-2-sports-trainer/

 

[yobbo84]

If an illegal tackle causes injury the tackler should be sent.

If the above were the case most games would finish with at least one player sent off from each side.

 

[shaggs]

I'll trust the bloke who's job it is to do it over Peter Fitzsimons, or Todd Greenberg for that matter.
This is nothing more than a response to media faux outrage.

If they are proven to have flouted the criteria (I don't know what the criteria is) then fine - but like I said I hope they fight it.

Dugan lies down every second tackle ffs. As likely he had a sore face as a concussion.

If they fight it they will lose.

 

[Caped Crusader]

This is minimum qualifications to be an NRL level trainer.

Lower grades, you need a level 1, with at least 1 Level 2 as part of the team.
https://playnrl.com/trainer/trainer-courses/level-2-sports-trainer/

There was nothing about identifying concussions in the link you provided

 

[adamkungl]

If the above were the case most games would finish with at least one player sent off from each side.

Excellent. Maybe they wont throw swinging arms at heads so often then. Much worse than shoulder charges or nothing punches that get big suspensions and sin bins these days. Priorities are f**ked.

The idea that send offs and sin bins ruin games in the last 15 years has been detrimental to Rugby League.

 

[shaggs]

There was nothing about identifying concussions in the link you provided

Exactly. So how does one become qualified in concussion

 

[slamminsam246]

Well the question is whether he has a sore face or was knocked out.

Players stay down for non concussion injuries all the time. I've been bashed in the head before and it f**king hurt, without being dazed or anything of the sort.

How is everyone watching footy on TV suddenly a medical expert?

Thats the whole point. Players stay down for all sorts of injuries but when there is a hit to the head (incl jaw) the player must come off the field to run through doc tests which determin if there is concussion or not. Without doing that ur simply going by a player/club trainers whom have competitive bias and want to keep said players on the field.

I'll trust the bloke who's job it is to do it over Peter Fitzsimons, or Todd Greenberg for that matter.
This is nothing more than a response to media faux outrage.

If they are proven to have flouted the criteria (I don't know what the criteria is) then fine - but like I said I hope they fight it.

Dugan lies down every second tackle ffs. As likely he had a sore face as a concussion.

I was led to believe third party doctors are hired to test/identify concussions to take pressure off trainers and leviate bias. They didnt come off for those tests, hence the fines?

 

[Caped Crusader]

Exactly. So how does one become qualified in concussion

Sorry, assumed you were saying they were suitably qualified

My mistake

 

[BestHookerFarrah]

Re Elliot. Hunt hits him flush in the head thus knocking him out and concussing him. The Knights take him off and reshuffle the team. This is what the NRL would prefer to happen?
The Knights lose their fullback and Hunt is able to play the remainder of the game. Seems a fair result.

Play by the rules, Manly had to take Tom Trbojevic off the field for the HIA not even 10 minutes into the game.

 

[betcats]

Well the question is whether he has a sore face or was knocked out.

Players stay down for non concussion injuries all the time. I've been bashed in the head before and it f**king hurt, without being dazed or anything of the sort.

How is everyone watching footy on TV suddenly a medical expert?

Furthermore opposition coaches/captains have no place demanding players should be taken off for assessment. the rule is there for player safety not for gamesmanship.

Its fairly easy to tell if a guy is unconscious(or pretending to be which should result in the test anyway) if he is on the ground not moving after a head knock then he is likely unconscious or pretending to be, either way it should result in the player taking the HIA test. You don't need to be a medical expert to see a guy get knocked the f**k out.

 

[moffla]

Next, Point deductions. I'm no softcock but playing while concussed is stupid and frankly quite dangerous.

 

[betcats]

Re Elliot. Hunt hits him flush in the head thus knocking him out and concussing him. The Knights take him off and reshuffle the team. This is what the NRL would prefer to happen?
The Knights lose their fullback and Hunt is able to play the remainder of the game. Seems a fair result.

This rule is there to protect players from this exact kind of thinking. Its not supposed to be fair or advantage the knights, its supposed to protect the player(in this case Elliot) otherwise in ten years we will have 50 guys suing there clubs and the NRL like McManus.

 

[_snafu_]

Imagine if Matai's brain was in his shoulder, he would have been required to have a concussion test every game.

 

[betcats]

Thats the whole point. Players stay down for all sorts of injuries but when there is a hit to the head (incl jaw) the player must come off the field to run through doc tests which determin if there is concussion or not. Without doing that ur simply going by a player/club trainers whom have competitive bias and want to keep said players on the field.



I was led to believe third party doctors are hired to test/identify concussions to take pressure off trainers and leviate bias. They didnt come off for those tests, hence the fines?

Yep. I am pretty sure the trainers have a list of symptoms they are taught and if they player is displaying any of them they have to come off for the test which is done by a doctor(think it is still club doctors tho). Now I am not sure but lying on the ground unmoving for 30 seconds or more is probably one of the symptoms.

No one is saying the guys were definitely concussed, only an examining doctor can say that but these guys definitely should of been examined, even a layman can see that. There's no point having these rules if they aren't going to be enforced, in fact does it not make suing even easier for any players down the track if they aren't followed? We have clear procedures in place to protect players that aren't being followed, if Dugan or Elliot sue the NRL down the line they can point to these incidents where it seems fairly obvious the procedures weren't followed.

 

[cleary89]

There was nothing about identifying concussions in the link you provided

Im sure they do them. Im going to an all day concussion course next week for primary school rugby league. Surely nrl trainers would do them.