In the 2020 National Rugby League season, there has been numerous players struck down with career-threatening knee injuries.
Some are minor and can be rehabilitated, however numerous have required surgery and have been season-ending.
I have looked at playing surfaces, fitness levels due to the pandemic and even the position of players yet I can’t find a strong link to stop the disturbing trend.
How are knee injuries mitigated, then? Unfortunately, there is no proven method of preventing injuries, but they can be mitigated by maintaining proper fitness levels, learning the correct techniques for jumping and landing, improving balance and footwork as well as strengthening the leg muscles.
Just to keep the discussion to the facts, the knee joint is made up of bones, cartilage, ligaments and tendons. The femur (thigh bone) is at the top of the knee joint. The tibia (shinbone) is below the knee joint. The patella (knee cap) covers the union of the femur and tibia. The cartilage is the tissue that cushions the bones from each other. The tendons connect the muscles to the bones.
To keep the knee stable a set of four ligaments secure the joint like a hinge on a door. Either side of the knee is the Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) and the Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL). They both work to regulate and stabilise the left-to-right shift of the joint movement.
The further two ligaments, the Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) and the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), stabilise the knee’s backward and forward movement. The ACL runs diagonally down the front of the knee, providing critical stability.
The ACL connects the thighbone (femur) to the shinbone (tibia). Minor sprains or tears can heal with specific rehabilitation however full tears require surgery.
A full ACL tear is a terrible injury that is predominantly season-ending for players and the psychological impact is devastating. Typically, recovery time is between six to nine months. The injury can occur from quickly changing direction while in motion or improperly landing after jumping or blunt force trauma.
The worst knee injury in the NRL is the ACL sprain or tear. Players often speak of hearing a pop followed by excruciating pain, swelling and instability. ACL injuries are graded from one to three. A grade one is a mild sprain while a grade three refers to a complete tear.
Mild tears, such as a grade one, typically require pain management, anti-inflammatory medication, rest and in many cases a brace as well as the use of crutches or a wheelchair for mobility. Once the injury settles rehabilitation can begin.
A complete ACL rupture is very common in rugby league athletes and requires surgery. For some players the risk of re-injury is inherent.
As at Round 13 all 16 teams’ knee injuries and player return dates have been detailed. They are as follows.
Penrith Panthers
Kurt Capewell – Round 17
Melbourne Storm
Jesse Bromwich – Round 13
Parramatta Eels
Nothing to report
Sydney Roosters
Victor Radley – season ending
Sam Verrills – season ending
Billy Smith – season ending
Angus Crichton – Round 14-15
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Canberra Raiders
Andre Niko – season ending
Josh Hodgson – season ending
Newcastle Knights
Daniel Saifiti – Round 14-15
Jayden Brailey – season ending
Cronulla Sharks
Cameron King – season ending
Scott Sorensen – Round 13.
Manly Sea Eagles
Albert Hopoate – indefinite, to be advised
Wests Tigers
Jacob Liddle – Round 14-15
Harry Grant – to be advised
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Tom Amone – season ending
Braidon Burns – season ending
St George Illawarra Dragons
Nil
North Queensland Cowboys
Scott Drinkwater – Round 15
Tom Opacic – Round 13
John Asiata – indefinite, to be advised
New Zealand Warriors
Nathaniel Roache – Round 13-14
Taane Milne – season ending
Jackson Frei – season ending
Bunty Afoa – season ending
Gold Coast Titans
Mitch Rein – Round 13
Young Tonumaipea – indefinite, to be advised and
Ryan James – season ending
Brisbane Broncos
Jack Bird – season ending
Jesse Arthars – Round 13,
David Fifita – Round 13,
Matt Lodge – Round 13-14,
Alex Glenn – Round 15-17,
Sean O’Sullivan – indefinite, to be advised
Keenan Palasia – indefinite, to be advised
(Ashley Feder/Getty Images)
Canterbury Bulldogs
Nil
Last century a serious knee injury was career-ending for many professional athletes.
With modern technology, surgical improvements and clinical rehabilitation it has accelerated recovery rates.
In receipt times, new rules have been introduced to protect players from injuries.
The cannonball tackle has been outlawed as has tackling a player in mid-air while contesting a high ball.
Thankfully advances in medicine and injury recovery have our NRL stars back on the park in the shortest time possible while maintaining player welfare as the highest priority.
Teddy Bell
Guest
*million
Crow
Roar Pro
Ahh. Do you mean the knee joint is bent and being loaded. Hmm. The scrums are no longer an issue. They do often kneel when playing the ball.
Crow
Roar Pro
Good point Paul. I too have seen big chunks of the playing surfaces being ripped up due to player activity. A fair point has been made about the sprigs. The boot was once a moulded soul, however today it is screw in metal studs. Not only the field, in AFL and NRL there hare been some deep lacerations to players. I reference Corey Oats and Alex Glenn and Isaac Quaynor.
Crow
Roar Pro
Thanks Dutski. It has been a common thread that player fatigue is potentially a big factor. Coupled with that the six again rule creating fatigue and the pandemic issues relating to poor fitness levels.
Crow
Roar Pro
The players on the sideline suffering season ending knee injuries is staggering. In terms of the cap there is over five thousand dollars of talent ruled out this year.
Crow
Roar Pro
All your suggestions are valid. The increased power of the players, the suddenness direction change in stepping and the blunt force trauma. It is a lottery as far as I can see. For some it is a genetical lottery also.
Crow
Roar Pro
Justin was a star. When playing outside Lockyer he could really find the line. He Captained the Broncos. He did loose pace when playing in the centres however his game developed. A big step, an offload and a massive fend.
Crow
Roar Pro
Tedesco is good. A true number one. His 2019 origin season was outstanding. When injury free he is awesome
Crow
Roar Pro
The psychological impact of having a severe knee injury is shattering. It’s devastating and the inherent weakness or chance of re-injury is as disturbing as a broken jaw. It changes players psychological strength and future.
Crow
Roar Pro
Good call. If the Dragons and Dogs were not so far down the ladder they might have restarted faster and consequently been more prone to injury.
Crow
Roar Pro
Only in a remote comparison the NFL as been dealing with this issue for a decade. The players are bigger and stronger and their skills are enhanced with left and right footwork, acceleration and blunt forge trauma. I would like to graph previous seasons to give a picture on a page
Crow
Roar Pro
Your correct. The new rules after the second round lockdown caught a lot of teams and players off guard. The pace of the game created fatigue and with that unfortunately came injuries. It is definitely a piece in the puzzle.
Crow
Roar Pro
You make a good point.
Big Daddy
Guest
I would have thought too much " kneeling" was the cause of it.
mushi
Roar Guru
Yep the grounds are coming apart but the grounds keepers are doing the best they can.
mushi
Roar Guru
Justin Hodges went from lightning to getting chased down by props on an interception
PaulC
Guest
There are only three games played in daylight each weekend & the rest are played under lights & most NSW fields (Canberra too) are very slippery with dew. Lang Park, CBus, Sunshine Coast & Cowboys fields have been rain affected too. It would be interesting if a game could be played with all players wearing moulded tags to compare the damage. The ground curators & staff are doing a great job repairing the damaged turf surface each week.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Definitely... it might be chicken and egg with the tags though. I reckon players have switched to metal studs because of the slippery surfaces. Mitch Moses said that in a post game interview a couple of weeks ago when he slipped twice taking shots at goal and a couple of times in general play. But that in turn churns the ground up more I’ve noticed Tedesco has been slipping and sliding a fair bit recently
PaulC
Guest
I have noticed the playing surfaces being torn up a lot this season & players slipping around. The tags on the boots seem to be metal as against previous years when they were moulded plastic. The metal tags seem to be tearing up large lumps of turf when players get tackled or slip. Several players this year have had very nasty injuries from boot tags requiring multiple stitches or surgery. The Bankwest Stadium was torn up badly & it looks as if it has been returfed? Lang Park & the Cowboys oval are also a problem especially after rain. Has anybody else noticed this??
Dutski
Roar Guru
Good read and definitely concerning. I’d like to know the rates from previous years to know if this is a blip or something we’re noticing more. Generally speaking I understand that fatigue does play a role in that the muscular stabilising decreases with fatigue, so maybe the pace of the game does play a role here?