Debate heats up over dangers of kick-off returns
It wasn’t flashy or incredibly creative from the Newcastle Knights on Sunday but it got the job done thanks to some calm and experienced heads with an 18-14 win against the Dolphins.
The travelling side came into the match with just two wins from their first seven games and an average points tally of 17.1.
Following the Dolphins’ record high 44 points last week against the Eels in Darwin, they led the competition with 28.3 but that same side was nowhere to be found in round 8.
The Dolphins struggled to get going early while the Knights held a 10-6 halftime scoreline and a 100 per cent (21 from 21) completion rate.
Despite the Dolphins scoring two tries in the final four minutes, it wasn’t enough to overcome their self inflicted error count of 14.
On the injury front, Kenny Bromwich failed his HIA and looked to have a calf issue while Knights players Jed Cartwright and Jacob Saifiti both picked up ankle problems.
NEW BLOOD FULLBACKS SHOW THEIR CLASS
Plenty of eyes were locked to both team’s fullbacks prior to kick-off
Australia’s most experienced sporting medico Dr Nathan Gibbs has called on the NRL to ban long kick-off returns in another weekend of furious debate over the game’s biggest concussion threat.
Gibbs has been a club, State of Origin, Kangaroos, Sydney Swans and NSW Waratahs doctor for 40 years and is a former captain of the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
You would hope the NRL would take his views on board considering that amount of experience, even if his comments are against a tide of opposing views.
On Anzac Day St George Illawarra centre Moses Suli was left heavily concussed after a collision with Sydney with Knights debutant David Armstrong stepping in for injured captain Kalyn Ponga while Trai Fuller was playing his second straight game for the injured Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.
Fuller, 27, filled in admirably last week against the Eels with a try, try assist, line break, seven tackle busts and 179 run metres.
He was again aggressive in searching for the footy on Sunday as he had 216 run metres, 54 kick metres, 54 post contact metres, three line breaks, one line break assist and 10 tackle breaks.
Armstrong, a former Redcliffe Dolphins under-18s player, suffered an early scare when letting the ball bounce into the Dolphins hands but breathed a sigh of relief when the ball was knocked on by Tesi Nui.
Just two minutes later the former Toowoomba Grammar student crossed for his first career try.
EXPERIENCED HEADS STAND TALL
Knights co-captain Dane Gagai returned from a calf injury to instil some positive guidance into his side’s attack and defence and was also able to add to his try scoring tally. The 33-year-old also took the reins of the goal kicking duties finishing with two from three attempts. He was well supported by Adam Elliott.
Roosters enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves in the very first tackle – the sixth player to be knocked out of the contest from a kick-off return this year.
“Obviously JWH and Suli was a good example of the risks of accidental head injuries,” Dr Gibbs said.
“This can occur when players have 20 to 30m to get to full speed then crash into each other with no deviation intended.
“There’s a high risk of injury. So an easy way to reduce the injury toll is to ban the play.”
But try telling this to former players. Over the weekend former premiership-winning forward Luke Lewis said on radio: “If we get rid of the kick-off I’ll never watch rugby league again.”
Or James Graham a few years back on collisions in rugby league: “If you don’t like how tough it is go and play Oz Tag.” But they’re not the only ones.
Dale Finucane and Martin Lang are two of the toughest men to ever lace on a rugby league boot.
They knew only one way to play the game – fast and furious with absolutely no fear.
Both however had long histories of head knocks so I reached out to them.
Finucane retired last week from repeated concussions.
“It’s (long kick-off return) one of the most exciting parts of the game,” he said, “You look at it in Origin and grand finals and it’s such a big part of the spectacle.
“I remember watching as a little kid and thinking … who’s going to take the first carry.
“If you take that away from the fans, it takes away from the spectacle. I understand the importance of putting a player’s health first but a tap kick restart takes away the energy and excitement from the start of the game.”
Lang is as intelligent as any former player. He is doing a PhD in neuro science. He understands brain trauma issues better than most.
“I believe they (long kick-offs) should remain,” he said in a text.
“The NRL is moving in the right direction ie/lowering tackle heights, with the defender primarily responsible for ensuring safe contact with the ball carrier. Re/The kick returns, we can’t remove every scenario involving considerable forces/collisions from the game. It’s one of the reasons that spectators are drawn to the NRL. The dynamic nature.”