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Simon Dwyer is League's Secret Shame

Charlie124

First Grade
Messages
8,509
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...6902619156?from=igoogle+gadget+compact+bi_rss

Two years since a career-ending injury, Simon Dwyer is yet to be contacted by anyone at the NRL

Simon Dwyer received little support from the NRL after his career-ending injury two years
EVEN if someone did ring, Simon Dwyer couldn’t lift the phone with his right hand.

Put simply, it’s shot. Useless. Disabled ever since that afternoon two years ago when, attempting a tackle at Campbelltown Stadium, this promising Wests Tiger ripped five nerves straight off his spinal column.

So what has been done since?

Remembering that before rugby league disabled him — before his hand swelled, shoulder routinely slipped out of joint and the pain medication gave him seizures — this young forward was among the brightest prospects in the game.


Not only on the cusp of NSW Origin selection, but owning a thwack which, ironing out no less than Roosters enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, was hailed on these very pages as ‘Hit of the Century’.

So in the two years since the Greatest Game of All ruined him, who from the NRL has called?

“I’ve never been contacted by anyone at the NRL,’’ Dwyer shrugs.

Players Association, then?

“Ah, I’m not even sure what they do,’’ he concedes. “Seem a waste of time. I don’t even know if I have a manager anymore. I saw him at a game recently and he said ‘Hi’, but that was it.

“It’s a little disappointing to think, if I were in any other job, insurance would cover this injury. But being a footballer ... yeah, I’m on my own.”

Simon Dwyer is rugby league’s secret shame.

That isn’t him talking either — it’s us.

The NRL has offered Alex McKinnon a job for life, with Chief Executive Dave Smith saying his spirit and determination is an inspiration to all in the rugby league community.
For while he was once among the most feared defenders in footy, this affable 25-year-old — a fella working as City Origin assistant in Dubbo this week because “Freddy never forgot me” — refuses to whack a game that so badly betrayed him.

Indeed, who has time?

What with the daily physiotherapy, the massages and weights. Bloke even bought his own acupuncture kit.

Which makes him the kind of bloke who doesn’t covet interviews.


But when cornered at City training on Thursday — still wearing the same sling he vowed two years ago would not stop his NRL return — he somewhat reluctantly agreed to open up.

Explaining not only his own battle, but the happiness at seeing Alex McKinnon — a footballer three years his junior — being so well supported by the NRL, the Newcastle Knights, indeed the entire rugby league community.

Dwyer has been wearing a sling since his injury two years ago.
“What Alex has suffered — terrible,’’ Dwyer says almost in a whisper. “And I hope he gets all the support possible because not only does he deserve it, it’s the right thing to do.

“I mean, we keep hearing how rugby league is business, so why isn’t it run like one? Why aren’t footballers insured?

“Cars and houses get insured, but not us. It’s tough but, while you hope things change, you’ve just gotta get on with it.”

Which is how Dwyer has been every day since that attempted tackle.

When colliding awkwardly into the hip of Canterbury prop Michael Hodgson — “my shoulder went one way, my head the other” — he ripped from his spinal cord the C5, C6, C7, C8 and T1.

“Initially I felt frozen,” Dwyer recalls. “I couldn’t talk, couldn’t move, couldn’t feel anything from the neck down.

“There was only a weird sensation, like my legs and arms were in the air. But looking back at video since, I was just flat.”

Eventually, a Wests Tigers trainer sat Dwyer up and, after relevant checks, tried to walk him from the field.

“But I was like, ‘shit, I can’t feel my legs’,’’ he continues. “Eventually, all the feeling came back. Well, everywhere but my right arm.”

And so in the weeks following, this tough Sydney westie underwent surgery that saw nerves taken from different parts of his body — including his left arm and diaphragm — and then redirected into his motionless limb.

Yet two years on, and living at home with his parents, he still has no movement in his fingers. Can manage just one arm curl “against gravity”.

Holding a cup of water, or phone, impossible.

Still, Dwyer refuses to quit.

Right now, driving on a disabled permit, learning to write as a leftie and battling on without those pain killers that caused him “little side effects”.

Like what?

“Seizures,’’ he shrugs.

So what is being done?

For while the Knights may have honoured McKinnon’s contract upgrade, Dwyer had his deal terminated by the Tigers — who couldn’t fit him under the salary cap — and, instead, was appointed to staff on a smaller three-year agreement.

Dwyer’s staff appointment with Wests Tigers runs out this year.
It is a deal for which the disabled footballer has always been grateful. An agreement which, we also note, runs out this year, right?

“I’m not sure what’s happening yet,’’ he says. “I would love to stay in the game and really enjoy my work at Wests Tigers, doing video for the boys and statistics for (coach) Mick Potter on game day.

“The club has said they’re yet to finalise things for next year so who knows?”

Dwyer is also grateful to Freddy.

The NSW Origin great who not only called him into camp in 2012, but has made this former City forward his first staffing appointment in the two years since.

“Which is incredible because some guys, they don’t even have that,’’ Dwyer says. “Only last week I got a call from another footballer in a similar situation.

“He’s struggling and, given the extent of my injuries, wanted to know what the NRL had done. But, you know ... what could I say?”



I did my best to edit the nonsense and picture captions out of this very poorly written article, but it does raise a very concerning question of why Simon seems to have been brushed aside and left to fend for himself after being disabled by his injuries.

Discuss.
 

ShaneO85

Juniors
Messages
513
Don't get me wrong it is great that the game is getting behind Alex, but there does seem to be some elements that are over the top and like this article points out inconsistent with the care and support shown to others who have been permanently injured/disabled playing our sport.
 

some11

Referee
Messages
23,313
Wtf is all I can say, I knew he was on the staff at the Tigers but if they can him what else is there.

His injury happened under the old NRL management but that doesn't excuse the new one not even contacting him.
 

Jono078

Referee
Messages
21,112
Really disappointed for this guy. He was going to be a really good back rower, he already was before injury.
 

pHyR3

Juniors
Messages
955
What have the tigers done wrong? They've kept him in the club and given him a job, given the extremely poorly managed salary cap in years prior im not surprised we had to terminate his contract.
 

nrlnrl

First Grade
Messages
6,833
Don't get me wrong it is great that the game is getting behind Alex, but there does seem to be some elements that are over the top and like this article points out inconsistent with the care and support shown to others who have been permanently injured/disabled playing our sport.

Yep, others like Simon Dwyer, Daniel Conn & Richie Fa'aoso have been forced into premature retirement due to injuries suffered in the NRL. I agree with you Shane, the NRL must be consistent in treatment of players & have plans to support them based on their individual needs ( level of injury / independence / standard of life etc ).

I believe a better approach would be to recognise all these players in Round 18 or 19 ( sorry, don't remember which one it is ) - have them at home games of teams they played for. I realise Conn & Fa'aoso ( 2 players I mentioned earlier ) as well as Alex McKinnon had more than 1 club, but let's spread the message & raise the awareness.

( apologies to all other players who have suffered career ending injuries that have impacted on their quality of life, but I have merely listed two more as examples )
 

gallagher

Juniors
Messages
1,800
Without knowing the full terms of his employment, the Tigers in fairness have employed him since the injury.
 

cleary89

Coach
Messages
16,456
Why do the rest of us have to take our income protection and personal insurance, but the tele think's the employers should provide it. Do any other work places? As he said he has insurance on his house and car, why not on his employment?

But what do they want the NRL to do? When Kyle Stanley does a knee for the 5th time or what ever it will be this season and all clubs finally give up on him, should we give him a job for life? What about Bronx Goodwin?

What about Michael Greenfield, he was 26 when he broke his neck after a Ben Teo shoulder charge in 2012.

What about all the promising juniors that have a career ending injuries. Do we need to give them jobs for life too?
 

sensesmaybenumbed

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
28,830
Tuiaki had a job organised for him at Allied if I remember correctly.

The club is standing by Dwyer. The medical staff and trainers did a ridiculous thing walking him off, but that's all part of the reason why you'll find a different club doctor and a more professional staff now at Wests Tigers.
 

sensesmaybenumbed

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
28,830
Why do the rest of us have to take our income protection and personal insurance, but the tele think's the employers should provide it. Do any other work places? As he said he has insurance on his house and car, why not on his employment?

But what do they want the NRL to do? When Kyle Stanley does a knee for the 5th time or what ever it will be this season and all clubs finally give up on him, should we give him a job for life? What about Bronx Goodwin?

What about Michael Greenfield, he was 26 when he broke his neck after a Ben Teo shoulder charge in 2012.

What about all the promising juniors that have a career ending injuries. Do we need to give them jobs for life too?

To be fair, all workplaces should have insurance to cover injuries, and most do because they have to. It's a fair question to ask why the NRL doesn't.
 

Tommy Smith

Referee
Messages
21,344
Simon Dwyer received little support from the NRL after his career-ending injury two years
EVEN if someone did ring, Simon Dwyer couldn?t lift the phone with his right hand.

Put simply, it?s shot. Useless. Disabled ever since that afternoon two years ago when, attempting a tackle at Campbelltown Stadium, this promising Wests Tiger ripped five nerves straight off his spinal column.

So what has been done since?

Remembering that before rugby league disabled him ? before his hand swelled, shoulder routinely slipped out of joint and the pain medication gave him seizures ? this young forward was among the brightest prospects in the game.


Not only on the cusp of NSW Origin selection, but owning a thwack which, ironing out no less than Roosters enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, was hailed on these very pages as ?Hit of the Century?.

So in the two years since the Greatest Game of All ruined him, who from the NRL has called?

...
As previously stated, this is such an irresponsibly written article. It raises some valid arguments in favour of Dwyer, but why divert attention with such blatantly unfair lines like the above?
 

insert.pause

First Grade
Messages
6,446
To be fair, all workplaces should have insurance to cover injuries, and most do because they have to. It's a fair question to ask why the NRL doesn't.

All NRL players have insurance, they aren't covered for career ending injuries and are instead covered for two years lost income under personal accident insurance. Is it adequate in a high collision sport? Probably not, but I would imagine it would be very costly to provide insurance for every player for career ending injuries. The NRL have said they will be reviewing it, and they should, but it's not fair to say NRL players are not insured.
 

unforgiven

Bench
Messages
3,138
To be fair, all workplaces should have insurance to cover injuries, and most do because they have to. It's a fair question to ask why the NRL doesn't.

100% correct. People who take out income protection are taking out insurance to protect themself for an injury or illness outside the workplace. Workers compensation means the majority of employers need to provide insurance incase of injury while in the workplace. I believe the NRL doesn't do this. The reason I believe is they have been unable to find an insurer.
 

seanoff

Juniors
Messages
1,195
Why do the rest of us have to take our income protection and personal insurance, but the tele think's the employers should provide it. Do any other work places? As he said he has insurance on his house and car, why not on his employment?

most professional sports offer FREE life/disability insurance for current and even past players.

this link is an outline of the benefits for former NFL players. https://www.nflplayerengagement.com/media/147087/nfl-player-benefits.pdf
+ total disability is $224,000 / yr. if you are on an active roster, your medical and dental insurance continues for five years after you stop being an active NFL player. etc etc etc

NHL, if you play 160 games, free medical insurance for life. + disability etc while playing



EPL players usually have 5 years income insurance. even the lesser guys are on 5 - 10K a week. average wage is 30K a week. 5 years at 30K is good coin.

AFL offers free medical and dental as well as life and disability to players.

etc etc etc

and many jobs offer life/medical etc insurance as a part of the package.

honestly the NRLPA are a joke.

this is a blight really. no insurance and a reliance on WT to give him a job.

Big ups to Freddie too.
 

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