It took time for me to know the score
AFTER I came off concussed against Penrith just before halftime on Saturday the doctor asked me “Who did you play last week?”
I couldn’t answer him. It wasn’t until ten or 15 minutes to go in the game where I came to my senses and worked out what was going on, that I’d suffered a head knock.
Now I remember the whole first half. I recall scoring a try and Justin O’Neill hurting his elbow, but up until the dying stages of the game I didn’t remember too much at all.
In a concussion test you get asked a few basic questions to test your memory and also do a balance test standing on one leg with your eyes closed.
If you fail any of them at all, you can’t resume playing. I didn’t get too far into the test at all before I failed, I was never a chance of being allowed to go back on.
I also had to pass a number of tests during the week to be fit to take my place against Cronulla tomorrow night.
First thing Monday morning I saw the doctor to go through the same tests as when I came off against Penrith.
I passed all of them, and I also had to complete the cognitive test all players have to do at the start of the year.
You’re told five words at the start of the test. Once you’ve done the other tests, you have to repeat all of them back at the end.
There’s also a test where you’re told three numbers, and you have to repeat them back in reverse order.
I did that test on Wednesday and passed, so it’s a relief I’ll be able to play in such an important match for the club.
The rules in place around concussion are essential. There may be teams that try and take advantage of the rule for an interchange at times, but as a game we have to live with that because of the risks associated with head knocks.
In my opinion it’s better to have the rule in place and risk some teams taking advantage of it, than not having one at all.
The last couple of years there’s been more education on concussion, not about what actually happens when you get a head knock, but how to treat it and deal with it.
They try and enforce if you don’t feel right to not go back on the field, because sometimes you can pass all the tests and still not feel OK.
We know the Sharks are going to be in there the whole 80 minutes as people are putting a bit of pressure on them now because of their last couple of losses against Canberra and Brisbane.
But they’ve played against some good teams as well and we’re in the same boat where we’re desperate to get a win.