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Australia’s two rugby codes should keep a close eye on concussion policies to avoid a lawsuit similar to the NFL’s recent head injury case.
Over 4,500 players, many of whom suffer from conditions like Lou Gehrig’s disease, filed lawsuits against the NFL after growing tired of medical bills and the crippling side effects that brain injuries can cause.
The NFL has agreed to pay a $765 million settlement as compensation for the burden placed on thousands of retired players and their families, who sued the league for debilitating brain damage.
These lawsuits accused the NFL of promoting the violence of the sport, ignoring the health risks and failing to inform players of the long-term health ramifications of repeated concussions.
Over the years we have seen a number of NFL players succumb to depression and suicide, resulting in the finger being pointed at the pinnacle of American sport.
Much like the NFL, rugby league and union in Australia tend to play their cards close to their chest when it comes to head injuries.
It’s probably because they have a bad hand.
After the debacles which saw Wallabies flanker George Smith return to the field just five minutes after being knocked senseless, and the NRL’s Dylan Farrell – who couldn’t even get off the field for Souths earlier this year – there is cause for concern.
So far, the rugby codes have been playing Russian roulette when it comes to concussions. It’s only a matter of time before brain injuries become a common problem for retired players.
Although the NFL has seen the settlement as a win for both parties, it certainly won’t be the last medical scare over the game’s safety.
The agreement has resulted in the NFL paying $675 million to a compensation fund, $75 million for medical examinations and another $10 million towards research.
Although players in the NFL tend to tackle more with their heads than they do with their shoulders, it seems that not even Tatafu Polota-Nau’s bed of hair, let alone a helmet, can prevent a concussion these days.
Clubs need to keep tabs on ex-players to cover themselves and provide a more conservative set of short-term protocols to prevent mums from dragging their kids away from rugby and into soccer.
Players compete at their own risk and often bully the medical staff to stay on the pitch, but there is no guarantee that they won’t shift the blame to someone else when their brains grow old.
The ARU can bounce back from defeat and the NRL can handle the peptide crisis, but you can’t prepare for the future without changing the present.
The concussion crisis is a ticking time bomb for Australian rugby. The first step to solving the problem is realising there is one.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.