Sport in Australia now has its first real concussion test on its hands in the brave new world of head injuries protection.
It is a test that has to be passed to save further pain down the track.
The sickening footage of precocious batting talent Will Pucovski being hit in the head again by a bouncer – this time by Riley Meredith for Victoria in their Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania in Hobart on Sunday – now becomes this test.
With his sadly lengthy history of head knocks added to by this latest blow, Pucovski unwittingly will now be a walking, talking example for those that want to take (an understandably) hard line on concussions for players while still playing in the “prime” of their careers.
It will become more than just a highly likely increased push by the Australian Sports Commission for their recent concussion recommendation to the Federal Government (of a 21-day break for any head knock in any sport played at any level in this country).
The Pucovski file will now be used – rightly or wrongly – as a contemporary case for concussion reform to be used on current players.
Will Pucovski is checked after being struck on the helmet by Riley Meredith. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)
This shift will be distinct from the growing number of cases of older retired players across contact sports given media coverage from long term head injuries such as CTE and dementia in recent years.
Passions will be high on both sides of the debate – between those who want to “save players from themselves”, and those of the “old school” who believe that it is tough to carry on through adversity to glory.
Both sides will claim the moral high ground.
Administrators and politicians have a mixed track record – to be kind – in reading the room on various issues.
Yet they will somehow have to sift through the fact from the emotion and come up with an across the board policy when the dust settles from this debate.
Then, you throw in the angles around dollars.
First, the corporate angle – that there are big dollars at stake in keeping players on the field in major professional and semi-professional sports in Australia regardless of any health factors.
Then you have the growing mindset of launching class actions against anyone and everyone who has “not taken responsibility” for something that was not considered or thought of in any workspace or sports field 5, 10, 15, 25 or 35 years ago.
This mindset – while necessary in some cases outside of sport – has now been almost hijacked by ambulance chasing lawyers trying to get big bucks for years allegedly lost from the quality of lives in an attempt to make a living for themselves.
Will Pucovski (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)
It is this mindset that is keeping the Peter V’Landys’, Andrew Abdos, Gillon McLachlans and Andrew Dillons of the world awake at night – petrified of possible/probable multi million dollar actions that may come their way – or in the way of their successors – in years and decades to come.
Good luck being an administrator or a politician trying to sort this out into such a policy that the majority of those in the sports loop – fans, players, coaches, and parents of kids wanting to play sport – will agree to or be happy with.
However, Australian Sport cannot put this debate away under the carpet any longer. Pucovski’s latest blow should ensure that this debate starts now.
If somehow such a policy across sports can be implemented, that will allow Australians to genuinely say that they are not only amongst the best in the world punching above their weight on the field, but as leading the way above their weight off it.
Time and history will judge what happens from here.
As for Will Pucovski, he now has to make the best decision for himself and attempt the almost impossible task of divorcing himself from the white noise that will now surround his playing future.
His self belief – bordering on stubborn defiance – that he can overcome any obstacle put in front of him has allowed him to make comeback after comeback from head knock after head knock over the last five years.
This self belief has no doubt been fed by the clear push from those around him – as well as from the Cricket Australia hierarchy, the Australian sports media and even fans, dare it be said – that he was the “next big thing” in Australian cricket and Australian batting. Picked out from an early age in under-age carnivals as that precocious batting talent.
In trying to fulfill this talent to another baggy green test cap, Pucovski may want to draw on this self belief and give one last glorious comeback a crack next summer after recovering from this recent blow.
However, the word “was” in that next big thing statement may now be Pucovski’s most appropriate description.
His history of concussions, added to by this latest blow, strongly suggest that he may now have to give up playing cricket now for his own health.
He has performed OK in front of the camera when given opportunities during Channel 7’s big Bash coverage off and on while he has been on the sidelines.
Maybe this is his best short term – or even medium to long term – move around the sport he clearly loves so dearly.
The tragic passing of Phillip Hughes will reach its 10th anniversary this coming November. No doubt his demise will be thrown in Pucovski’s direction while he considers his future.
Either way, one can only hope he is allowed to make that call – what ever it is – quietly without being dragged into the debate. At least initially.
His opinions and thoughts on sports concussions will also inevitably be attempted in time to be used by both sides of the concussion debate that will now take off.
Pucovski will need to be careful he does not step on any minefields in coming up with a solution on both choosing his view on this debate, as well as his own personal future.
Like those trying to sort out the concussion debate – good luck in making those calls, Will.
For your sake.
Tufanooo
Roar Rookie
Do you actually know if Cricket Australia or Cricket Victoria have the ability to medically rule him out from playing professional cricket? It's not relevant anyway. CA or CV can simply just stop selecting him and not issue him with another contract. It's legally the safest thing to do. The trick is not giving a reason, and not saying anything that could be used against them. They have no obligation to give him (or anyone) a reason. None whatsoever. Once you put a reason on selection (or non-selection) you expose yourself. It's why selectors have never said to a player "you are too old" when they stopped selecting them (might potentially be sued for age related discrimination). Instead they simply say "you have not been selected in the upcoming squad. Thanks for your service". They could just simply say to Puc "We have decided not to issue you a new contract, and you will thus no longer be selected. Thanks for your service." Puc "May I know why?" CV/CA: "The determination of who gets a contract is at the absolute discretion of CV. Thanks"
Tufanooo
Roar Rookie
Good analogy. Except, Puc doesn't have all the talent in the world. He has all the talent in the world minus the ability to play the short ball.
Tufanooo
Roar Rookie
Your suggestion will kill cricket forever, Gravox. Batsman will get on the front foot all day long knowing a short ball isn't coming their way anymore. The threat of the short ball is what makes batting a challenge.
Tufanooo
Roar Rookie
You are so overthinking this with the use of the word "ban". It's not contestable ground at all. No one will need to do any banning. They just won't select him, and they won't issue him a contract. No authority is obliged to issue anyone a contract. The ability to issue a contract has always been at the absolute discretion of the issuer, likewise with selection. Another cricket body can quite simply, and quite legally go to him and say "we won't be issuing you a contract. Thanks." Pucovski could say "that's ok. I'm happy to play for free". And the body will say "no need. we won't be selecting you anyway. You are not part of our plans for the XI. Thanks." Pucovski: "how come" Body: "because" And there will be NOTHING Pucovski can do about it. No one needs to ban anyone.
Tufanooo
Roar Rookie
Waivers only exist to a limited extent. They are not sweeping documents that excuse all liability. You are also limiting yourself here. What about the bowler who bowls the killer ball? Not only could they potentially be sued by the family of a batsman, but they also would definitely want to sue CA too for having been unfairly placed in a position where they caused harm.
BillyW
Roar Rookie
Agree with a lot of your comments here Bushy.... Fair to say CA and cricket Vic have the ability to not select any one they want.... even if fully fit! I don't think winning games of cricket is worth putting this kids future at risk....and if there wasn't this false hope of a "career" out of it he may more easily walk away....I mean even if he never plays again he can be proud of his achievements on field Sometimes we get caught up in "potential" and assume it will be 10 more years of this and that....but maybe this was meant to his ceiling, maybe this was meant to be what he showed us, his purpose..... People know your name Lad, will want to interview you, maybe pay you for them.....hang up the boots Will, while you can still string a sentence together to answer them. All the best
The Knightwatchmen who say Nii
Roar Rookie
To draw an analogy with my bush upbringing, would someone keep working as a stockman or jackaroo if they kept falling off their horse for no apparent reason, despite having all the riding talent in the world?
The Bush
Roar Guru
This mindset – while necessary in some cases outside of sport – has now been almost hijacked by ambulance chasing lawyers trying to get big bucks for years allegedly lost from the quality of lives in an attempt to make a living for themselves. Lol okay mate, hope you don't need help one day when you're hurt or sick. Then you have the growing mindset of launching class actions against anyone and everyone who has “not taken responsibility” for something that was not considered or thought of in any workspace or sports field 5, 10, 15, 25 or 35 years ago. This is a fundamental misunderstanding of the NFL Class Action. The NFL did know, just like tobacco companies knew, that is in fact the entire foundation of the class action. So not only was it 'considered' 5, 10, 15 and 25 years ago, the NFL knew. Either way, one can only hope he is allowed to make that call Do you actually know if Cricket Australia or Cricket Victoria have the ability to medically rule him out from playing professional cricket? I haven't actually seen anyone answer this.
Blink
Roar Rookie
Phil Hughes was desperately unlucky and if a batter hit a ball into a close in fielder in the same spot there would be a similar outcome. No-one wants to see it but sport always has risk involved.
Gamechanger
Roar Rookie
Technique is the issue. Players learn to play to their strengths and avoid shots they are weak in to minimise dismissals from that type of shot. Steve Waugh was a great example of this. A player who avoided the hook and pull and played through point and the covers predominately. He often allowed the ball to hit him on the upper body. Footage of him facing Ambrose and Walsh shows this. Contrast this with Ponting , Gilchrist and Ian Chappell, who were masters of the hook and pull.
Gamechanger
Roar Rookie
“Passions will be high….. and those of the “old school” who believe that it is tough to carry on through adversity to glory.” Wally Lewis, one of the NRL immortals was originally of the old school, who now believes that approach is shallow and shortsighted. His 60 mins interview divulging his ‘ concussion - CTE’ diagnosis was a reminder that the price for toughness to glory can be too high. Well written Tony.
mrl
Roar Rookie
Use your bat or get out of the way!! Helmets have created a false sense of safety.
Linphoma
Roar Rookie
IMHO, dead right. But..... It's very contestable ground. Say the authority, in this case CA or Victoria, ban him. He moves interstate. What then? The other state bans him and it is contested. I don't want to go there.
badmanners
Roar Rookie
Murphy was hooking Wood in the ashes too! :thumbup:
Linphoma
Roar Rookie
For sure.
Andrew
Roar Rookie
On walks temba bavuma to a 6ft 5 fast bowler. Hmmm that would be tough for the bowler! "And really short bowling is boring and unfair as the batter can’t even reach the ball" - so you haven't heard of the Hook and pull shots. Was exciting to me when Lyon was putting Wood out of the Park in Hobart.
badmanners
Roar Rookie
He did nothing wrong. I'm certain he would have gone through some very dark times but has got through it and prospered. All credit to him.
badmanners
Roar Rookie
My thoughts exactly. My personal opinion is that CA should take the decision from Puc. But I realise it probably won't happen that way.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
There was an English batsman named James Taylor who, at the age of 26, was forced to retire from all forms of cricket, thanks to a medical condition called Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy. He could have kept playing both County and Test cricket , potentially for years, but he was convinced to immediately give it away because of the short and long term risks, ie he could have died while playing. Ignore all the "white noise", as Tony rightly calls it and focus on one simple truth. Repeated blows to the head will cause injury to the brain, which in turn can lead to all manner of health issues. Those medical people working with Puckovski will know this as will CA and the VCA. He doesn't need to make a choice, but they can make it for him by not selecting him to play. There's been no doubt James Taylor made the correct decision, so why are there any questions about what should happen with Puckovski?
Linphoma
Roar Rookie
With all due respect to Sean Abbott, I don't know how he can continue to play the game.