Morgo won’t follow Thurston’s example
JOHNATHAN Thurston’s multi-coloured headgear was an iconic part of his rugby league career, but Cowboys captain Michael Morgan says he won’t be following suit despite suffering successive concussions.
Morgan was ruled out of tomorrow’s clash with the Sydney Roosters in Gosford and he could be sidelined indefinitely after two sickening head knocks in just 12 days.
The Maroons utility was left convulsing on the ground after copping a stray elbow from teammate Josh Mcguire in Wednesday’s thrilling State of Origin series decider in Sydney.
It comes after Morgan was nursed throughout Queensland’s Game Three preparation after a hit from Tariq Sims on June 28 that earned the Dragons enforcer a oneweek ban.
Experts including Concussion Legacy Foundation co-founder Chris Nowinski have slammed the NRL over its handling of concussion incidents while calls have been growing for headgear to be made compulsory in junior rugby league as a way to prevent traumatic brain injuries.
Morgan will undergo further assessments from Cowboys medical staff before he returns to the field, but the star playmaker said protective headgear was not something he had considered.
“Not really – I won’t go to head gear,” Morgan said.
“I think because of the (concussion) against the Dragons I was just more likely to get another one.
“If you get a half decent knock it is going to happen.
“I don’t think the one on Wednesday would have affected me as much if I hadn’t suffered the knock against the Dragons.
“Even after the Dragons one I felt fine, it was a bit of bad luck again.
“I got an elbow to the head from ‘Moose’ (Mcguire), I don’t think head gear was going to stop that.”
Brisbane-based physiotherapist Brien Seeney, who runs the popular social media account NRL Physio, told the Townsville Bulletin there was no evidence to support the view that headgear helped lower the risk of concussion for rugby league players.
“Headgear is quite effective at preventing injury to the skull and ears; things like surface lacerations, abrasions, and ‘cauliflower ears’,” Seeney said. that it happened
“Unfortunately as it stands the science indicates that wearing headgear does not help to lower the risk of concussion.
“The brain is bathed in fluid, which keeps it from contacting the skull.
“Headgear and even helmets appear to do little in preventing the brain moving within this fluid and contacting the skull.
“In contact sports, evidence indicates that headgear does not provide enough reduction of the stretching and shearing forces on the brain that occur during high impact hits to the head.”