Player welfare and Kalyn Ponga

[Maximus]

15% is closer to 1 in 7. And the general populace are found to have CTE at a rate of anywhere from 1 in 10 to 1 in 20.

And that is taking the entire science of CTE at face value. Would love to know what they do to isolate the decades of other horrendous health activities like drinking, drugs, and various pain killers that would also fry these guys’ brains

Oh yeah, 1 in 7 is so much better. It's clearly not a problem when 251 players on an NFL roster each year will end up with CTE....

Also, no your study doesn't suggest 1 in 20 people will end up with CTE. This seems pretty key.

The identification of 15 CTE cases in non-athletes raises interesting questions, Dr. Bieniek said. "Did these people have trauma from another source?" he asked. "Were they actually athletes and we were unable to detect it from biographical information? Is there another disease with similar features?"

Also, even if it is 1 in 20, that vs 1 in 7 is a f**king massive difference.

Also, f**k off with this alcohol causes CTE shit. Stop trying to absolve sports from the blame.

 

[Wb1234]

Absolutely. You can't hide anyone on a rugby league field. Though the Titans do a pretty good job with David Fifita most games.

Hahahah

 

[Wb1234]

How do AFL players get concussed? Is it from falling from taking marks?

Wind gust

 

[Rhino_NQ]

was waiting for a few neurology experts to come out of the woodwork in here

 

[Floodwaters]

Well if he leaves now, he MIGHT be able to do a regular job. If he sticks around 2-3 years, he might be damaged for life.

I get it, getting knocked out isn't good for one's health but its not going to hit him soon, he'll suffer when he gets older generally.

 

[Pierced Soul]

How do AFL players get concussed? Is it from falling from taking marks?

They fall over after continually knocking on

In all seriousness, I don't watch AFL, but I will sometimes see "highlights" on the back page, and what happens is one player will be fixated on the loose ball, and some other merkin will smash him from the blindside turning his hip/shoulder into him at full pace. Some of them are bent over to pick up the ball and just end up with someone's hip smashing into their head.

The players getting hit in this way are not bracing at all as they're trying to gather the knock on

 

[Maximus]

Some of the uninformed comments on this thread is enough to give anyone CTE.

Perhaps, and hear me out on this, we don’t all need to have an uninformed opinion of something we don’t understand.
Maybe we leave it to people that actually have some expertise in the area?

was waiting for a few neurology experts to come out of the woodwork in here

Can you guys quote the posts of people claiming to be experts? Apart from yourselves of course, as you 2 clearly know more than everyone else.

 

[Munky]

Watches car crash.

Onlookers: Gee those passengers are f**ked.

LU: Are you a trauma surgeon? How do you know it's bad?

 

[NewySteel]

Can you guys quote the posts of people claiming to be experts? Apart from yourselves of course, as you 2 clearly know more than everyone else.

Thank you for the compliment - you clearly understood the principle of my comment

 

[Maximus]

Thank you for the compliment - you clearly understood the principle of my comment

Have you played in the NRL? If not, sorry you can't comment on it since your opinion is uninformed.

 

[Mr. Shaman]

Some people got the milkshake brain like Ponga.

 

[Diesel]

Any word on what the stand down for Ponga is? I’ve heard weeks but the commentary is cantering around two weeks, which seems rather quick for his history.
I hope he’s off the alcohol during this recovery, for his longer term health

 

[seanoff]

That collision on Sunday that got him was pretty benign. Like other sane people in here. He needs to seriously consider his future because he’s had 5 months off and he’s gone both times up. Not sure he can take many more.

 

[morton's beanie]

Also, f**k off with this alcohol causes CTE shit. Stop trying to absolve sports from the blame.

Training used to be a formality to go through to get on the piss. Play and win, its 50 celebration beers. Play and lose its 50 "we'll get em next week" beers.

If you don't believe alcohol has a negative impact on cognitive ability I think you need a HIA.

 

[Danish]

Oh yeah, 1 in 7 is so much better. It's clearly not a problem when 251 players on an NFL roster each year will end up with CTE....

Also, no your study doesn't suggest 1 in 20 people will end up with CTE. This seems pretty key.

The identification of 15 CTE cases in non-athletes raises interesting questions, Dr. Bieniek said. "Did these people have trauma from another source?" he asked. "Were they actually athletes and we were unable to detect it from biographical information? Is there another disease with similar features?"

Also, even if it is 1 in 20, that vs 1 in 7 is a f**king massive difference.

Also, f**k off with this alcohol causes CTE shit. Stop trying to absolve sports from the blame.

yes, I’m sure the heavy drinking and partying lifestyles of professional athletes has absolutely zero downsides.

there is also definitely no other possible way a person could bonk their head enough times over the course of their life to cause CTE besides playing sport. It’s purely a disease athletes. Those suffering from CTE in the study must have secretly been athletes but just scrubbed their achievements from the history books.

Also never mind the fact that CTE is only able to be diagnosed by autopsy, and has symptoms that line up with all sorts of other neurological diseases (as well as plenty that have a lot of cross over with just being an asshole). clearly every living former athlete who is moody and irritable or having trouble remembering things as they get older can chalk it up to CTE. Former athletes are also completely immune to dementia and other neurological diseases whose diagnoses are increasing across the general population right now. Any signs of diseases of the brain in former athletes can only be related to CTE.

clearly we can completely remove the risk of health issues later in life for league players if we just force every one to retire once they get concussed. Certainly none of them would ever be willing to roll the dice on a dangerous career for the chance to make millions for their families. That’s why combat sports were banned and certainly are not promoted constantly using rugby league as a draw in.


Or we can just live in reality, understand that shock horror contact sports can be tough on the body, and allow those partaking in it to accept the risks if they choose to.

 

[mongoose]

huge class action against AFL has been launched... something similar will happen in NRL for sure

 

[Dogs Of War]

Training used to be a formality to go through to get on the piss. Play and win, its 50 celebration beers. Play and lose its 50 "we'll get em next week" beers.

If you don't believe alcohol has a negative impact on cognitive ability I think you need a HIA.

But it's not like the general public don't do the same thing. The NRL players are generally a good representation of the public as a whole. Some don't drink, some don't drink to excess. Some do.

So the results from the those who haven't played contact sports vs those who do should provide a good indicator of the risk. Not everybody is going to get hit in a manner that causes a concussion, and even when they do it may be that they were better able to recuperate faster.

None of this says the risk isn't there, and that the NRL needs to start putting some money away for whats to come. A welfare fund of some sort for players down the track. Cause it's also not like the players don't understand the risk. It's a fine balancing act the sport needs to navigate.

 

[reanimate]

The NRL will force players diagnosed with a category one concussion to miss at least one match in a landmark decision for the code.

As revealed by the Herald on Monday, after months of discussion the NRL will implement a mandatory 11-day stand down period for any player diagnosed with a brain injury.

The rule is set to be implemented from round three, which begins on Thursday when Manly host Parramatta.

It comes as Newcastle star Kalyn Ponga, one of the highest-paid players in the game, faces an indefinite period off the field after suffering his fourth concussion in 10 months on Sunday.
The Knights five-eighth was forced from the field at Leichhardt Oval just two minutes into the eventual 14-12 win over Wests Tigers.

Recent seasons have seen an increased focus on head injuries. Former Roosters captains Jake Friend and Boyd Cordner were both forced into retirement during the 2021 season after suffering repeated head knocks.

The NRL decision comes a day after former premiership-winning Geelong player Mark Rooke became the lead plaintiff in a class action suit against the AFL lodged in Victoria’s Supreme Court.

More to come

A mandatory stand down period for a category one concussion is in effect as of Round 3.

 

[yobbo84]

I don't know how I feel about that. At what point do we stop treating adults like adults? The players know the risks. It should remain their choice.

 

[Valheru]

I don't know how I feel about that. At what point do we stop treating adults like adults? The players know the risks. It should remain their choice.

Especially if a doctor says it is safe for them to return prior. We are probably getting very close to waivers being signed for contact sports going forward.