This week there was a rush of news about the NRL, concussion and the degenerative brain condition chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) after researchers announced they’d found CTE in the brains of two deceased former players.
Concussion is a massive problem in contact sports and is at the forefront of the minds of any decent sports administrator who is thinking about the future.
It costs a lot if you leave it unchecked, too – in the last two years alone, America’s National Football League has paid out over $AUD676 million in compensation to players affected by concussion, and that amount is rising.
What’s the solution? It’s a tough one. You’ll never eradicate concussion, but you can take clear steps to try and reduce it.
Rugby league is always going to be a high-speed, high-impact, collision sport. Players do their best to look after each other but first and foremost, they’re out there to win a game and win a physical battle.
Players rightly expect that they’ll be protected, too. Part of this protection is giving appropriate punishments to discourage foul play, and this is where the NRL is falling down badly.
Something is seriously wrong with the system when a player can get sent to the sin bin for ten minutes if they lay in a tackle too long, but can continue playing if they knock someone out with a swinging arm to the face.
(AAP Image/Craig Golding)
Behaviour needs to change. And the only way that happens is if the NRL get much, much stronger on foul play and high contact. Not just at the judiciary, but on the field.
After referee Ashley Klein to send Parramatta’s Michael Jennings to the bin in Round 1 for a high tackle that ended the day of Penrith’s Isaah Yeo, we assumed that this would be the standard for 2019. The action taken by Klein (with help from the Bunker) was supported by the NRL head of football, Graham Annesley.
“The rules were changed last year to allow players to go to the sin bin for foul play in those circumstances,” Annesley said of the Jennings sin bin.
“In hindsight, that was a good move. It helps to ensure teams aren’t disadvantaged in those situations, but ultimately the referee, the video referee have to make those decisions based on the seriousness of the incident and there will be disagreement about those decisions from time to time.
“They are rules that are intended to try and help protect player safety and to ensure teams aren’t disadvantaged as a result of foul play.”
Jennings was also hit with a grade two careless high-tackle charge and suspended for a week.
It sounded great, the system worked. But for all Annesley’s words, the NRL hasn’t followed through. The obvious reticence to make a game 17 versus 16, even for just ten minutes, doesn’t marry up with their talk of player welfare.
It’s been said before but in 2018, 112 players were sin binned and zero were sent off. After 15 rounds this season just 21 players have copped ten minutes and no one has been sent off.
A lot of these sin binnings have been for professional fouls, like holding a player down in the tackle, giving away repeat penalties or illegally preventing a try.
Even worse, acts that aren’t deemed worthy of a sin bin or send off have resulted in hefty suspensions at the judiciary.
Here’s just a selection of recent suspensions that were not punished with a sin bin or send off at the time:
That’s 16 weeks’ worth of suspension, but not one second off the field during the game.
George Burgess being replaced on report. The big Bunny is out for nine weeks. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Let’s not even start on the Burgess suspension, either. Rabbitohs fans must be wondering how what their man George did is any worse than what North Queensland’s Josh McGuire did, twice… For two contrary conduct fines, totalling $6750. Both men with priors, too.
I don’t want to bring up Annesley’s argument that McGuire’s deeds needed to be viewed and treated in isolation, or his astonishing excusing of McGuire’s actions by helpfully explaining one of his attacks on an opponent’s eyes was just a ‘facial’, as opposed to a fully fledged eye gouge. Fair enough – I’m sure the eyes of McGuire’s targets could tell the difference.
With the examples from this season alone, fans start to wonder whether the refereeing fraternity are actually under strong instruction to keep players on the field no matter what. I hate tinfoil-hat conspiracy theories, but the lack of strong on-field response to acts of violence really does feed one.
Last Saturday night in Darwin, Parramatta’s Terepo clouted Canberra’s Rapana with a swinging arm to the head. Terepo was penalised and put on report, Rapana left the field in clear distress for an HIA (Head Injury Assessment).
At the time, Canberra led 12-0, soon to be 16-0. They were forced to reshuffle their right side, which sent John Bateman to the centres and youngster Sebastian Kris to the wing.
In the 15 minutes Rapana was off the field, the Eels scored two tries, one straight through the spot where Bateman would have been. Parra hauled themselves back into the game and went on with it for a much-needed win.
So much for ‘ensuring teams aren’t disadvantaged as a result of foul play’. Even if a player is suspended post-game, his club still plays 17 versus 17 the next week.
Has the game learned nothing from the Sia Soliola-Billy Slater debacle of 2017, where Slater was KO’d by Soliola’s late, high hit? The big man stayed on the field, then was suspended for five games. It was obvious to all that something was wrong then.
What about the repeated late and high hits players like Johnathan Thurston and Geoff Toovey took during their careers?
If in five years time Rapana, or Thurston, Toovey or Slater start to show signs of a brain injury or the effects of concussion, do they have a reasonable case to argue that the NRL didn’t do enough to deter opponents from attacking their heads? That they failed to meet their duty of care to their most valuable assets?
The NRL say their concussion protocols are in line with world’s best practice, and they are once a player is in the HIA process. But without strong, instant, on-field punishment backed by lengthy suspensions, it’s just words.
As it stands, players know if they go high, late or whatever, they’re a chance to take out a key opposition player and at worst they’ll cop is a penalty.
There’s a simple option available to referees to deter a concussion-causing hit like Terepo’s or Soliola’s, they just seem terrified of using it. It doesn’t make any sense.
If the NRL was serious about their duty of care to players, they’d take action to enforce their rules when it matters.
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
"It’s about time someone asked Annesely or Sutton why so" Perhaps Peter Beattie could ask Laurie Nichols?
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
CPB, I'm being tempted! Oh, it's SO hard seeing a carrot and trying not to bite. Why does Matt keep dangling the "2014 GF carrot" in front of me? He knows a bunny can't resist carrots, especially one that's covered in GOLD! Aaaaaaw... Wanna bite! Wanna bite! LOL
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
"players should be told to treat playing with twelve as a challenge" Like driving with 3 tyres at night with no lights and wearing sunglasses. Sure, it's possible but you just know it isn't going to end well and it's just one big accident waiting to happen.
Big Daddy
Guest
If you look at all the sin bins this year 90% are for ruck and on the line penalties or someone taking a player out in a scoring position but probably none for acts of violence. It's about time someone asked Annesely or Sutton why so. Or is it a directive from the NRL.
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
Well, I don't think the Rabbitohs have EVER lost a home ground final by 30 points in week 1 of the finals to be instantly eliminated! Then picked up the "Dally M Coach of the Year" from the previous season, have half our team abandon ship with the other half looking for the exit doors as the Titanic slowly sinks to last place on the ladder and with a wooden spoon the only flotation device on hand. Funnier still is that your "Captain Seibold the sailor" was the first to abandon ship in a record time that even beat Francesco Schettino's personal best as the captain of the Costa Concordia! Bahahahahahahaha
Nat
Roar Guru
So you're proud to be rock or diamonds? Win one - miss another 2 finals completely. The Broncos have been to a GF more recently than your boys, backed up by a Semi, then a Prelim and another Qtr. I'll take that over 20 rocks and the occasional stroke of luck. You better hope Darius doesn't get dropped. You know what happens to any Broncos that find themselves in the reggies - Papa Wayne comes sniffing.
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
Finally! A winning comeback. Let's hope that you don't take over the role of Kevvie's "coach whisperer" and breathe hope back into your dispirited maroons. Btw, that first sentence was something I would have written in your place but despite it being a comeback that I expected it still was a goodun! I can still say one thing you can't though Nat. I've seen MY team lift the premiership trophy in the last 5 years while you have to go back to nearly the turn of the new millennium for your club's last success and the ONLY coach that ever brought your club premiership glory is now at the Rabbitohs! So not even a ray of hope on the horizon for you mate. No maroon and gold dawn, only darkness and an overhyped coach who barely turns up for games and clocks off before they are finished. In a week or two when Darius Boyd is dropped to QLD Cup (Intrust Super Cup) you will have the most expensive ressies player in the competition once again! Boyd will following in the footsteps of "Jimmy the Jet" and all courtesy of a coach that brings out the worst instead of the best of a Broncos side that was tipped pre-season to make the top 4 and go all the way. But at least you will have your VHS tapes to keep you company while you watch 8 other clubs playing in the finals this year. ;-)
Jimbob
Guest
THIS! Most problems are best solved by the humble penalty. Penalize early, penalize often. Any kind of "facial" is an immediate penalty, and if people complain, too bad. You eliminate this, and the Burgess incident doesn't happen.
Nat
Roar Guru
We all know why you have no VHS memories, Souths went through the entire VHS period with nothing to tape - 40yrs was it? Souths should be investing in Podcasts. They're so busy removing the eyes from all and sundry that we'll all just have to listen! ;) Love you Georgey. There's a solid 6months ammo right there.
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
Yeah, too bad those days are gone! Dig out the old video tapes and your old VHS and enjoy the memories for as long as the tapes last. The Rabbitohs are making new one's, memories not video tapes. No one but Broncos, Eels and Bulldogs fans use VHS anymore to remind themselves of what lifting a trophy once looked like! LOL Oh, CPB/eels47, WHY did I go there? Sorry, Nat tempted me and I just woke up! ;-)
Nat
Roar Guru
Ahhh the 90's. When the premierships flowed easily and a comp unburdened by the Cardinal and Myrtle. Those were the days...
Womblat
Guest
Players get hurt, and better yet, they expect to get hurt, just not by foul play. Foul play IS something that can be remedied but they just don't know how. How about accountability? My solution is to have any offending player's club fund the costs of a player they injure with foul play (games missed, medical costs, rep duties, travel, everything). Watch foul stuff disappear overnight and problem children get offloaded like sawdust off an uncovered load.
Ian_
Roar Rookie
They should just penalise the hell out of any non-incidental contact around the face. And for that matter, any grappling around the head and neck. It's so easy to fix these things if the NRL and its refs would just take them on and use the powers they have always had.
Ian_
Roar Rookie
Its just so grubby and childish. You'd think players would have grown out of this sort of thing by the time they're about 12.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I don't see why the bunker wouldn't have a look at it. Even if the ref doesn't suggest they look at it what better use of their time than to see what happened to a player who looked a lot healthier prior to getting tackled?
Adam
Roar Guru
Probably from the eye gouges aye Tim
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
Consider it a gift in honour of the Doggies triumph on the weekend CPB. Or perhaps I was imagining Big George's fingers in my eyes as I followed the live blog of the judiciary hearing last night and I was blinded momentarily? Perhaps all I need is a tap on the head courtesy of James Graham to knock some sense into me? But enough reminiscing over the 2014 GF which, funnily enough, was close to the result of Origin game 2! ;-)
The Barry
Roar Guru
“NO-ONE except you has claimed equivalence here” Except I’m not claiming equivalence in the slightest. I’m saying there are differences between different acts. It’s actually Tim, not me, that’s claiming equivalence “Its bizarre quibbling to even attempt a distinction. the hand has absolutely no right to be on the face.” He’s literally saying there’s no difference between a hand on the face and an eye gouge. My comment about ‘the great unwashed’ was in direct response to Tim writing “really Baz? because myself and thousands of others can’t tell the difference at all.” So, if you CAN tell the difference you’re obviously not who I was referring to. “We are simply saying it is a related behaviour which also needs to be eliminated.” Yep - I said the same as this at 8:39am (in direct response to you) at 11:04am and at 12:36pm so what makes you think it’s not clear for me...? I’m not really sure why you’ve got a bee in your bonnet about my comments. I’ve actually agreed with what you originally posted, that McGuire shouldn’t have his hands on player’s’ faces. I’ve also agreed that if the NRL gets rid of that, they get rid of any inconsistency around how eye gouges are defined. The only thing I’ve added is that there’s a difference between a player having his hand on someone’s face and an eye gouge. You’ve already pointed out that you can tell the difference between the two so I assume you agree with that as well. And you reckon it’s me spoiling for an argument...”
Cadfael
Roar Guru
They won't do it because it's from union but anything over the shoulder is a penalty or worse. Referees need to forget managing the game for the broadcasters i.e. you can't send him off, it will ruin the game. Well tough. If its high like the one that took the Parra player, should have been straight off.
Chris.P.Bacon
Guest
Wow PS, do you realise that you mentioned the 2014 GF without once referring to Finucane getting away with the most egregious act ever committed in a final which may have caused the mighty Bunnies to lose (or words to that effect)? You're not going soft on me are ya big fella? :)