Rise For Alex

[sretsoor]

Its already at like $600k

Will top $1m. Should set him up for life

Depends, $1m wont go far if he needs full time care, new house (i.e no stairs), transport etc.

I'm still gobsmacked the players are not insured, especially for this kind of scenario.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Massive contribution from the sharks fans. A good $2000 going to the cause if it's a dollar a head..

 

[Cumberland Throw]

He also has the potential to make around 200k per year in corporate speaking and events

So $1m in a trust earning 60,000 interest a year should set him up pretty well.

From the looks of things he won't need a 24/7 nurse or anything

 

[GongPanther]

He also has the potential to make around 200k per year in corporate speaking and events

So $1m in a trust earning 60,000 interest a year should set him up pretty well.

From the looks of things he won't need a 24/7 nurse or anything

I think he will be back playing within 2-3 years.

I really do...theres a fight in this lad that I can see.

And watching him eventually running back on the field will be quite something.

 

[Lambretta]

Its good isnt it...

Regardless of your opinion of the ARLC, you have to admit they are really improving the games image.

Under the old governing body, this would have been "the biggest black mark the game has ever had", but (because the NRL got ahead of it and created their own story) its become the feel-good sporting story of the year (probably decade).

This whole situation for me is the real litmus test about where we are heading as a game and how we are learning the PR lessons other codes have been using for years.

Previously it would have been doom and gloom and no real thought about how to assist Alex transitioning from a freak accident into the next stage of his life

As it stands the code has put its best foot forward, the fans have rallied around to show support and everyone outside looking in at us would feel far more positive towards Rugby League than they would have done in the past.

But more important than the PR is the fact the game is giving a young man a pathway to heal and a future role in the game.

Well done the NRL and all the good people from the League community who have rallied round

 

[Western_Eel]

I think there is a bigger issue here in what happens to the poor kid (sorry i have forgotten his name) that done the same thing a couple of months ago?
Does he get any support?

 

[carlosthedwarf]

I'm all for this but do we have to hear that horrible song before every game?

 

[Spanner in the works]

Saw in the Panthers Roosters game McKinnon got a minute's silence followed by a minute's silence for the victims of MH17. Poor taste in my view. How are they equal to each other? A minute's silence is reserved for the dead, particularly those who have sacrificed their lives or died in tragic circumstances, not for the living.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

This whole situation for me is the real litmus test about where we are heading as a game and how we are learning the PR lessons other codes have been using for years.

Previously it would have been doom and gloom and no real thought about how to assist Alex transitioning from a freak accident into the next stage of his life

As it stands the code has put its best foot forward, the fans have rallied around to show support and everyone outside looking in at us would feel far more positive towards Rugby League than they would have done in the past.

But more important than the PR is the fact the game is giving a young man a pathway to heal and a future role in the game.

Well done the NRL and all the good people from the League community who have rallied round

Exactly right. I think this was the core of the message they are trying to send here; that injuries and tragedies are unpredictable and often unavoidable. The most important thing is really to have the best possible community around yourself when shit does happen.

That is probably the greatest thing RL does; it creates great communities for people to get involved with and fall back on.

 

[Danish]

Saw in the Panthers Roosters game McKinnon got a minute's silence followed by a minute's silence for the victims of MH17. Poor taste in my view. How are they equal to each other? A minute's silence is reserved for the dead, particularly those who have sacrificed their lives or died in tragic circumstances, not for the living.

Thats not what happened at all.

The ground announcer (Jimmy Smith) just completed fluffed it. After the song he was supposed to immediately announce a minute's silence for MH17, but instead said something about "lets get this game underway!". All the players looked confused as they'd obviously been told about the minutes silence, and after a few seconds Kite and Mini both got the teams back in line and just started the moment's silence on their own.

You could see Jimmy Smith on the ground looking very confused, then after a bit someone must have got in his ear as he finally announced a moment's silence.

All told everyone was standing around for about 2 minutes trying to work out what was going on

 

[Cumberland Throw]

Are we really bagging Alex mates song ?

 

[some11]

Honestly it sounds like a Parker & Stone parody song.

 

[Timmah]

Not taking away from the things that are being done. But Alex Mckinnon should have a blank cheque from the NRL. It shouldn't be left to the ad hoc plans based on the whims of who ever is running the joint at the time.

"Ad hoc plans based on whims"?

This is a foundation that has been set up, not just a hat being passed around. There are a huge huge range of initiatives giving the opportunity for supporters sponsors businesses etc the chance to contribute. Baseline to that is the NRL providing what's like to be more than 140-150k based on the crowds this weekend.

The foundation will go on, and one would imagine once it's served it's current purpose - ensuring Alex's future is secure and comfortable plus assisting ongoing treatment costs - then it may become a future fund for kids/families/athletes in similar positions.

There should be a clear cut guideline if this ever happens in the future. A player crippled by rugby league should be taken care of directly by the NRL.

You cannot possibly legislate for every single eventuality - each case should be taken on it's own merit.

If I ran the NRL I'd have put 2 million dollars into his bank account the day I found out the severity of his condition.

You'd be fired not more than a moment later. Dumb.

I think there is a bigger issue here in what happens to the poor kid (sorry i have forgotten his name) that done the same thing a couple of months ago?
Does he get any support?

Curtis Landers? I know he was mentioned on the Footy Show by one of the companies donating, and I'm positive a player or two has mentioned him too - maybe Jarryd Hayne? Not sure.

 

[Spanner in the works]

Thats not what happened at all.

The ground announcer (Jimmy Smith) just completed fluffed it. After the song he was supposed to immediately announce a minute's silence for MH17, but instead said something about "lets get this game underway!". All the players looked confused as they'd obviously been told about the minutes silence, and after a few seconds Kite and Mini both got the teams back in line and just started the moment's silence on their own.

You could see Jimmy Smith on the ground looking very confused, then after a bit someone must have got in his ear as he finally announced a moment's silence.

All told everyone was standing around for about 2 minutes trying to work out what was going on

Fair enough. Sure looked like it.

 

[Apey]

Good to know I'm not the only who thinks

[youtube]XOXfzR85dAc[/youtube]

when they hear the Alex McKinnon song.

 

[Walt Flanigan]

:lol: Absolutely

Seeing teams walk out to that has been cringe-worthy.

 

[POPEYE]

Honestly it sounds like a Parker & Stone parody song.

Made worse by people who don't take it for what it is

 

[hammer]

I think there is a bigger issue here in what happens to the poor kid (sorry i have forgotten his name) that done the same thing a couple of months ago?
Does he get any support?

There are quite a few that have had major injuries from rugby league that have meant they will not be able to play again or are severely impacted for the rest of their lives.

Weedler has another story on Simon Dwyer in the paper this morning.

The McKinnon case is being treated in a very special way.

 

[Parra]

"Ad hoc plans based on whims"?

This is a foundation that has been set up, not just a hat being passed around. There are a huge huge range of initiatives giving the opportunity for supporters sponsors businesses etc the chance to contribute. Baseline to that is the NRL providing what's like to be more than 140-150k based on the crowds this weekend.

The foundation will go on, and one would imagine once it's served it's current purpose - ensuring Alex's future is secure and comfortable plus assisting ongoing treatment costs - then it may become a future fund for kids/families/athletes in similar positions.


You cannot possibly legislate for every single eventuality - each case should be taken on it's own merit.

Just like the John Farragher trust. If what you are saying had any credence there would already be something in place. There isn't and there wont be. Players suffer career ending injuries at every level of the sport every week.

You don't need to 'legislate' for every eventuality. Even if there was something in place for tetraplegia it would be worthwhile. But there isn't and there won't be so it's back to telethons and a-buck-per-head.

It is literally passing a bucket around.

 

[Danish]

Why should the NRL be paying for injuries in competitions outside the NRL? Surely that is the reaponsibility of the insurance taken out by those competitions?

If anything this incident should be a wake up call to all the players to take their insurance seriously. Income protection against major injury would cost absolutely nothing relative to their salaries. Hey should all take out such policies as a matter of course every year.