Player welfare and Kalyn Ponga

[nick87]

At what point do we have to have a very serious discussion about whether Kayln Ponga should be playing football any longer?

And if it’s not now, how many more head knocks does he have to go through before we get to that point? Is there a point or should it be entirely dictated by the players risk appetite?

At what point does the code, the NRL and his club have a duty of care responsibly?

This is a genuine question, curious to hear people’s thoughts.

 

[Pneuma]

At what point do we have to have a very serious discussion about whether Kayln Ponga should be playing football any longer?

And if it’s not now, how many more head knocks does he have to go through before we get to that point? Is there a point or should it be entirely dictated by the players risk appetite?

At what point does the code, the NRL and his club have a duty of care responsibly?

This is a genuine question, curious to hear people’s thoughts.

He is being assessed by medical professionals. I assume they will give him the best advice. My opinion means nothing.

 

[I Bleed Maroon]

If Boyd Cordner had reached a point of no return, Ponga is sure as hell getting close.

 

[some11]

Ponga & Keary can be ambassadors for oztag.

 

[simmo1]

If the NRL was to step in and say he can no longer play due to health concerns, then surely he must paid some amount as compensation? That is assuming that Ponga is still happy to play, and some club would be happy to pay him many several hundred thousand per year. How do you measure this compensation for Ponga v a journeyman fringe first grade who has repeated head knocks?

Give the players the best medical advice possible, but at the end of the day, it is their decision.

 

[JamesRustle]

At what point do we have to have a very serious discussion about whether Kayln Ponga should be playing football any longer?

And if it’s not now, how many more head knocks does he have to go through before we get to that point? Is there a point or should it be entirely dictated by the players risk appetite?

At what point does the code, the NRL and his club have a duty of care responsibly?

This is a genuine question, curious to hear people’s thoughts.

You should convene a meeting in cubicle 2 at the Delany Hotel so we can assess the state of his brain.

 

[Slackboy72]

He needs a long hard talk with an experienced neuro health professional not connected to the game.
We don't need another brain damaged ex-footballer.

 

[Marshall_magic]

Problem is a lot of these blokes don’t know anything else. When I was 22 I would have been a lot more reckless about my long term health than I would be now at 32. Can you trust the players to make the best decision, and alternatively can the nrl send players out there who are so prone to such potentially life-debilitating injuries.

 

[Mr Angry]

Why do blokes keep getting hit in the head?

Hey coach?

 

[ALX25]

2-3 week break at minimum.

 

[soc123_au]

If that was my son I'd be having a serious conversation with him about a career change. The concussions are becoming far too regular.

 

[Mr Angry]

Well it is not boxing, where the idea is to punch a bloke in the face and knock him out.

I guess strawberry milkshakes were the right thing.

The bullies win.

 

[Someguy]

Ever since Cleary went the cheap shot and KO’d him in origin he has been very easy to be concussed. Not sure the NRL is for him anymore.

compensation is tricky one. Ponga is possibly in the top 7 or 8 fullbacks in our game and has the potential to be among the top 10 of 5/8’s. Big name player on a decent wage. If career over should compensation be based of potential earnings or just a standardised amount.

 

[Floodwaters]

Dumbest move ever moving him from fullback

 

[Floodwaters]

Pongas chins cracked now so it's a must he goes back to fullback imo he can't be up in the line making tackles

 

[gerg]

Shoving him into the front line where he's making 20 more tackles a game, with opposition teams directing their big boys at him, was and continues to be a stupid idea.

 

[nick87]

Dumbest move ever moving him from fullback

I think so too, i can understand the thinking but we're two games in and it seems abundently clear he's not going to hold up defending in the front line without scrambling his brain.

im less concerned about medical pay outs, compensation and all that jazz... that gets worked out...

But really it's a test case in what role does the game and the code really play in this? I find it hard to believe the man should keep playing footy. I know he's got his own agency but at some point we have to protect someone from themselves, don't we?

or maybe not? maybe it's a waiver and you lay in the bed you make. This is a very special player at his best but he's got 40-50 years after his career ends to live.

 

[morton's beanie]

At what point do we have to have a very serious discussion about whether Kayln Ponga should be playing football any longer?

We? Never.

Leave it to his medical experts. Fans and media are both clueless and over reactive with head knocks.

Moving him into the frontline in defence though I think we can laugh away at AOB for that one.

 

[Danish]

ponga should be allowed to play as long as he feels he is up to it. No one owes him a duty of care that involves forcing him out of his chosen career.

frankly the entire CTE thing is massively overblown. In one of the larger randomised studies on CTE they found American football players had a CTE instance of 15% vs 6% in non-athletes in the study. That’s hardly world changing. Certainly no greater than the health risks taken on by any number of professions (mining, for example).

most of the legal dangers of CTE came from the NFL actively suppressing studies into head injuries. That’s not the case in the NRL. Everyone playing today can go in with eyes wide open to the risks, and if they want to take that risk on who is anyone to deny them?

 

[stryker]

He needs a long hard talk with an experienced neuro health professional not connected to the game.
We don't need another brain damaged ex-footballer.

Organise a lunch for him and his parents with Mario Fenech.
The decision will be swift.