NRL WEIGHS A TOUGHER STANCE ON HEAD HITS
THE NRL is set to debate an automatic one-week stand-down for any player that suffers concussion, among tough new measures being considered to increase safety.
Hi-tech mouth guards and ‘ Nurochek’, a device designed to measure the brain’s electrical activity to help diagnose concussions, are also being looked at by NRL leaders.
The NRL declined to comment but it is understood a subcommittee on concussion will be formed on how best to manage the issue.
In the UK’S Super League, a player who fails an HIA in a game or at training is not permitted to engage in that activity for a period of 11 days.
The same rules applied in last year’s Rugby League World Cup.
A mandatory stand-down for concussion could result in players being ruled out of crucial games – in last year’s NRL finals series Souths captain Cameron Murray and Parramatta star Mitchell Moses suffered notable concussions but were included the following week.
This week a federal parliamentary inquiry into concussion in sport heard evidence from leading neurologist Dr Rowena Mobbs.
Dr Mobbs called for sporting bodies to sideline concussed athletes for a minimum of four weeks. She said it should be longer for junior athletes.
“For kids, it should be longer, and there’s talk of six weeks,” Dr Mobbs told the inquiry.
NRL great James Graham also spoke at the Senate inquiry and again called for the NRL and other codes to implement a brain/body/mind checkup for retired players.
“The solution that I believe would create so much positive change would be an annual brain, body and mind check-up for retired athletes. There would be no unintended consequences for bringing this in,” he said.
Graham called for sporting bodies to use more technology to diagnose concussion.
“I understand why players would elect to continue on despite the fact that they likely know they’re concussed,” Graham told the inquiry.
“But if a saliva test, urine test or blood test were to diagnose a concussion, then it’s completely out of my hands; I have no choice.”
The inquiry is due to report its findings on June 21, which coincides with game two of this season’s State of Origin series.
Reduced contact in training, called for by the likes of Roosters captain Luke Keary, is set to be raised as a possible way to limit head knocks.
The Roosters five-eighth sustained five concussions between January 2018 and May 2019.
Keary last year said the NRL was lagging codes such as the NFL. “We should have had less contact five years ago,” he said.
“They do it in the NFL. I don’t know how we haven’t done those studies and tests … I just don’t know how it hasn’t happened.”