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SMITHY: Apologies to those tainted by the blackest day in Aussie sport

2nd April, 2015
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Paul Gallen (AAP Image/Paul Miller)
Expert
2nd April, 2015
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2030 Reads

The fallout from “the blackest day in Australian sport” continues, and in more ways than the continued actions between parties in the Essendon saga.

No matter what the eventual outcome of that specific battle, the effects of the declarations of those politicians who made such serious accusations have still not been addressed.

Some people have lost their jobs, some have been suspended after guilty pleas, a couple of clubs have been hammered beyond anything ever witnessed before, and sports generally have been subject to largely unsubstantiated claims which have been difficult to deal with.

It’s come down to an appeal to overturn a not guilty decision in AFL, and the now-unnecessary looking guilty pleas by Sharks players, head coach and other staff members.

Does that constitute the blackest day is Australian sport’s history?

Read more from Brian Smith at SmithySpeaks

Where are those who made the declaration and accusations now? Everyone blackened by those hasty and unproven claims are entitled to an apology. Some sort of explanation wouldn’t go astray either.

There have, however, been good things to come from this embarrassing situation. The best of those is the diligence and detail required of clubs and sports authorities in relation to supplements.

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Concussion delusion
The NRL’s upgraded requirements of clubs obligations to players, and the reporting of concussion incidences and how they were dealt with is a very good thing.

What’s not nearly so good is the reaction of some in the media, who are throwing up comparisons of NRL to NFL when it comes to concussion.

Those who use NFL stats to make their point about what should be done display little knowledge in the difference between the sports.

NFL players wear helmets and until very recent times used them as weapons in both training and playing. Remember, helmets don’t protect the brain from concussion – it’s likely they worsen it. The damage to the brain in concussion is caused by the bruising of the brain when it collides with the inside of the skull.

There’s a really big difference in the two sports with regards to what players do with their heads at the point of collision. In NFL, the head of the tackler goes in front of the player in possession, and also for attacking players when blocking for the ball carrier. This puts the player’s head and neck in a highly dangerous collision point.

In rugby league players are taught to put their heads behind the ball carrier, lowering serious collision concerns for the head or neck.

Until recently, when the NFL barred such horrible contact, when confronted by an opponent front-on both parties would often lead with the helmet. The helmet-to-helmet contact of such huge and generally very fast men produces almost unrecognisable comparison to anything likely to occur on a rugby league field.

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And they do this day after day, in off and pre-season practices, and during the week at in-season practice. Game day is just the final repetition.

It certainly is frightening and noteworthy, but not comparable to rugby league.

Still, I would like to see more onus placed on coaches to put proper safety regulations in place at training. I have even suggested a protocol of keeping a medical history for every player from his or her first days in junior footy.

There are players in the NRL who appear prone to head knocks and neck injuries due to a lack of body awareness and the required skills to avoid serious injury of this type.

This is a proactive action to protect everyone brave enough to play footy. Let’s make them safer first, rather than aim to look after them after they suffer a collision and possible concussion.

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