GIANTS CHIEF TACKLES GAME SAFETY HEAD ON
AS someone who understands the impact of concussion more than most, Luke Robinson is fully behind the efforts rugby league is taking to reduce contact with the head within the game.
The former half-back predicts he had around 50 concussions during his playing career and admits to previously forgetting where he lived or even having a child.
Robinson is an assistant coach at Huddersfield Giants now and has been tasked with coaching players to adapt to some of the new interpretations implemented within the sport.
Some clubs have struggled so far and are feeling the effects of stricter punishments. Robinson, however, has no issue, not with protection of the head at least.
“The rules haven’t changed,” he said. “People keep talking about the rules changing but you’ve never been able to hit anyone around the head.
“It’s just the severity of the punishments that are now being given out. They’re actually adhering to the rules now. The Leeds ones were lucky to be yellows. They were swinging arms straight to someone’s head – and you’ve never been able to tackle around the head.
“You don’t have to go through it with the players because they’re all watching the games or are involved in them. Everyone understands that if you do clock someone around the head, you’re probably going to be sent to the bin or get sent off.
“The tackle technique hasn’t changed but there’s a little bit more responsibility on the defending
player now to make sure he gets it right.”
Robinson’s issue comes with consistency. The prime example of that is the fact that Giants captain Luke Yates is currently serving a three-match ban for a tip tackle, while Wigan’s Adam Keighran and Harry Smith have been cleared to play after similar tackles.
Yates took to social media to voice his concerns earlier this week and Robinson admitted: “The only thing I’ve got an issue with is the consistency.
“Being someone who has been knocked out about 50 times – I’d go home on occasions and forget I had a kid and other times I forgot where I lived – I think there should be player protection.
“It’s really important. It wasn’t around when I was playing, we didn’t have the information. Now, all of a
sudden, time moves on and a lot smarter people than me look into the brain and say too many knocks can have long-lasting damage, it’s something that’s not going to go away from the game.
“If we don’t have insurance companies wanting to insure the game then, obviously, something needs to be done. I’ve no issue with outlawing tackles to the head, it’s never been in the laws and it should be punished. What’s frustrating is the consistency of it.
“I coach an under 13s team at Siddal, I teach them to hit, keep down, drop their back and drive through, stay away from that upper region of the body. There’s a responsibility as the defending player not to swing your arm around the head. It’s just the inconsistency that’s frustrating the fans, coaches and players.”