Also don’t forget that not all that play in Japan are Japanese.

As it happens, I’m a doctor by trade and although I don’t specialise as a sports physician, I’ve had a reasonable amount of exposure to the area (being a sports nut and all). And much as I hate to say it, I tend to agree with you.

The research unequivocally demonstrates that recurrent concussions have a cumulative effect on the brain. This is one of the reasons that the medical community in Australia, as a group, is opposed to boxing. It causes what sports journos like to call punch-drunk syndrome. We, on the other hand, call it traumatically induced cognitive impairment. As far as we can tell, headgear helps, but only marginally. (Here’s a neurosurgery journal article that talks about it, but there are actually many others in the medical literature).
http://journals.lww.com/neurosurgery/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2005&issue=10000&article=00012&type=abstract

This always causes a personal dilemma for me, because I happen to love contact sports including rugby, MMA and boxing. Mortlock is one of my favourite players to ever pull on the Wallaby jersey, but there is no two ways about it – he is extremely concussion-prone (or maybe ‘head-knock prone’ would be more apt, a result of his abrasive playing style).

If I had to think about it professionally, if Mortlock wandered into my rooms today and asked me for my opinion, I’d be forced to tell him he should be thinking about retirement (or perhaps Japan) sooner rather than later.

Interestingly, Andrew Fagan from the Brumbies has all but conceded the chase for James O’Connor today (he said in not so many words that he’ll take the $$ and stay in Perth). Personally, I think this is a good thing, for both O’Connor and the Force.

So the Brumbies fullback spot might still be open

(I know you’re going to ask me how come Mortlock went OK on the wing in S14 this year. Well that’s a different level and different style to international rugby.)

Did someone really write above that Mark Ella wrote an interesting article? I guess it has to happen once if you try often enough. Don’t get me wrong, he’s as gifted a player as I ever saw. But it was natural brilliance, not cerebral brilliance. It would be a cruel world if someone like Ella could be good at everything!

However we do have depth in that position. Tahu, Horne, AAC, Cross and Ioane.

We have very little depth at I/C and F/B. IMO Shepherd would be the best option at 15. The others are journeymen. O Connor is too small for F/B and the high ball.
IMO Mortlock would make a good FB, and the thought has merit. He has the defence and attack and speed for F/B. He can kick long enough and takes the high ball very very well.

So IF the next best option at O/C is better than the F/B option then yes move Mortlock to F/B.

Also, does headgear actually reduce concussion? Concussion is caused by acceleration or usually rapid deceleration of your brain within your skull (the brain whacks on the skull when the skull stops moving suddenly when it hits the ground/a prop). You’d need a fairly decent amount of padding to make much difference to such impacts (think goal post padding). I think headgear is useful for reducing cuts and cauliflower ears mostly…

I think its good for the team to have him in the squad as obviously he can play lots of backline positions and has a wealth of experience, but they should probably be looking to test a few others out in the view that in 2 years come W.C time, they’ve been exposed to the top level for a couple of seasons and would be hopefully on the way to their peak years, where Stirling is unfortunatley not!

An interesting view from Mark Ella regarding Mortlock.

I think Mortlock – as a talismanic player, leader and captain – needs to be PHASED out of the squad rather than given an immediate chop with a drop in form. I don’t agree with the “13 or Japan” approach.

I’d like to see him play less minutes over the next couple of years in favour of replacement options which are looking quite good – Cross, Ioane, Tahu, AAC and others. When these replacements come on, surely moving Stirling to the wings is an option – he’s proved he can still play well there.

I don’t want anyone to be a protected species ala (arguably) Gregan, Lote and as we seem to see quite often in cricket (Hayden?) but at the same time you want to avoid the shock impact to the team – like we (again arguably) had with Gregan leaving.

I’m usually one spruiking the best in each position for the run on side and the next best for the reserves… but in the case where there is not much between the best, the next best and the others, other things need to be taken into account. The fact that Mortlock is the incumbent captain and one of the few really experienced heads in the backs are big factors. This doesn’t mean we keep him there forever, regardless. It means we START to implement our succession plan – start to play him less and less minutes, change of captain, then start him on the bench then…

One thing though, I think his days at inside centre are over. From the way the Brumbies played once Tyrone Smith and particularly Gene Fairbanks were back at 12, and even for the Wallabies where Barnes, O’Connor or even Cooper would be better options (obviously I’m talking in terms of attack). He doesn’t have the passing game to play at inside.

Ultimately, his future will be determined by the form of Tahu, Ioane, or Ashley-Cooper at 13 for Australia. I think Cross has dropped off the pace this year, and he may well beat Mortlock OS. And then, as OJ said, it’ll be a matter of chossing between Yen and Euro…

Playing rugby, he could shatter his knee next week (please dont), its just part of the game and not a good enough reason to try one of the greatest centres in the world out of position.

It is not about protecting players. they need to judge that for themselves. Mortlock is not very good at that either. Kamakaze… good guy, and not a bad captain. good goal kicker but we have Giteau who is better.

Ack, I do agree with you to a degree, but as I wrote, there’s signs there that Mortlock could make an easy transistion to fullback, if it was required. But your “Most of them would make better fullbacks” comment is interesting, and even indicative of current thinking it seems. I’m surprised that of all the fullback options currently (and I won’t count Mortlock in this), there aren’t too many specialists. Ashley-Cooper was/is a centre, O’Connor plays 12 but will almost certainly end up at 10, and Mitchell, Turner and even Sheppard are all converted wingers. Even around the states, Gerrard started on the wing, Norton-Knight was a flyhalf, and McLinden was a RL halfback who switched to fullback, and then to rugby. So where have all the fullbacks gone??

Also, I wrote this piece before the team to play the Barbarians was named, and I have to admit I was VERY surprised to see O’Connor named on the bench. I fully expected that this would be the game to see how he goes at the back, but perhaps the Italy Tests are being eyed for this.

And obviously, I hope Mortlock has a strong game…

I’ve never understood why Mortlock hasn’t donned headgear?? Having been concussed myself 3 times in 2 years playing rugby, I was told by doctors that I HAD to wear one or stop playing. As nice as his shiny pate is, surely a bit of padding would just let him play that bit longer (and HARDER!!)