Time to ban long kick-offs in NRL

A fractured jaw may force the NRL to consider following America’s NFL in banning the heavy collision kick return.

It would be a sad day for rugby league but the game cannot tolerate concussion risks through high-speed, high-intensity collisions from kickoffs.

Bulldogs left-edge forward Jacob Preston suffered the jaw break after a colossal impact with 118kg Souths prop Shaq Mitchell, who was charging back from a kick-off.

Giant forwards – one attacking, the others defending – with a 20 metre run-up and running 30km/hr – can cause catastrophic brain damage at the point of collision.

There is no doubt the NRL privately wants clubs to employ short kick-offs to avoid the heavy contact – and possible head knocks – when rampaging front-rowers charge off the back fence.

Banning long kick-offs, and long-range dropouts, may be part of the NRL’s determined and increasing push to reduce concussion. Mitchell surged 20m from a kick-off before crashing into Preston, who collapsed to the ground. He passed an HIA but X-rays revealed he had a fractured jaw.

“Big collision,” Immortal and Channel 9 commentator Andrew Johns said. Mitchell was later forced off after complaining of blurred vision.

It won’t be liked by the hardnosed traditionalists but the NRL could investigate only allowing short kick-offs or perhaps a tap restart from the 20m line, after a try, rather than a long kick-off.

“I love the hits from long kick-offs but the contact can be sickening and violent,” NFL legend Colin Scotts said. “The collisions are getting more and more damaging and the brain has no shock absorber.

“Those long kick-offs could damage the brain more than any other part of the game.”