How Long Until Compulsory Headgear?

[bob dylan]

Surely its just a matter of time until the NRL makes this decision.

The GF head clashes again highlighted why this move is probably getting closer and closer.

As soon as we see our first successful legal case from a former player, suffering a brain injury, against the NRL or equivalent body the judgement will no doubt use the lack of protection as part of their finding.

 

[Chip and Chase]

Not such a bad idea in my mind anyway. A fair percentage of these concussions are from head clashes, so why not lessen that risk. I assume it is pretty much mandatory at junior level anyway these days is it not ?

What makes a player decide to wear headgear in the first place ?? I know Ballin never did until he cut that cut above his eye a few years back and it has been a regular occurrence until lately. Beaver always wore his ?

 

[Dan]

Not such a bad idea in my mind anyway. A fair percentage of these concussions are from head clashes, so why not lessen that risk. I assume it is pretty much mandatory at junior level anyway these days is it not ?

What makes a player decide to wear headgear in the first place ?? I know Ballin never did until he cut that cut above his eye a few years back and it has been a regular occurrence until lately. Beaver always wore his ?

I think it has something to do with hormones.

 

[southsideeagle]

I have strong doubts whether the head clashes in GF were entirely accidental. Has there been any suggestion to clamp down on this?

Beaver only started wearing headgear mid way through his career from memory. (I thunk)

 

[Fluffy]

Soft head gear doesn't offer much protection, they will need NFL style helmets

 

[Rodo]

If the NRL move to NFL style helmets then why don't they use padding too and just play NFL? The game's been moving that way in recent years.

A better idea would be to cut the 10m defensive line down to 5m, cut the interchange down and change a few other rules around these. Then the impact of collisions would be lowered and less serious head clashes would occur.

They should also look at banning tackles where players lead with their head. Two in one game from the same player suggests to me that this is his tackling technique and they could be taught not to tackle like this.

 

[Harry]

Not such a bad idea in my mind anyway. A fair percentage of these concussions are from head clashes, so why not lessen that risk. I assume it is pretty much mandatory at junior level anyway these days is it not ?

What makes a player decide to wear headgear in the first place ?? I know Ballin never did until he cut that cut above his eye a few years back and it has been a regular occurrence until lately. Beaver always wore his ?

I think it has something to do with hormones.

Some players who do get concussion more than others do wear it / should wear it. Tigers player Liam Fulton suffered concussion in four of the six games he played this season alone before he retired. A lot of rugby players wear head gear as well. If it means giving players longevity in the game and thinking of their safety, it has to be a good thing

 

[lsz]

I have strong doubts whether the head clashes in GF were entirely accidental. Has there been any suggestion to clamp down on this?

Beaver only started wearing headgear mid way through his career from memory. (I thunk)

I remember watching him go round in reserve\ grade in the head gear. From memory the only time he really played without it was the 7's

 

[Stevo]

When you think about it head gear protects a part of the head that rarely gets hit.

It does not protect the face or neck at all.

They should spend more of heir efforts policing and eradicating lifting in tackles and joint manipulation.

 

[Utility Player]

What makes a player decide to wear headgear in the first place ?? I know Ballin never did until he cut that cut above his eye a few years back and it has been a regular occurrence until lately. Beaver always wore his ?

Speaking from experience I started to wear headgear when playing in the middle 80's after getting knocked out 2 weeks in a row.

In my second last season playing I had a head clash with an opponent who was also wearing headgear. I ended up with blood coming out my ear and later developed Bells Palsy from it. I hate to think what would have happened if I had not been wearing it.

 

[Chip and Chase]

Yeh ideally you would wear something like boxing headgear that provides protection around the jaw and cheeks. However the restriction to peripheral vision makes it useless for RL

 

[Utility Player]

Funnily enough mine was like boxing headgear but as I was not much of a visionary it didn't matter much.

 

[The Who]

Headgear would not have avoided the facial injuries suffered by the two Souffs forwards in the GF. I do think, however, that more players will start wearing headgear, although I don;t think it should be compulsory.
In cricket, virtually 100% of batsmen now wear headgear. Back in my day a cap is all we wore. The irony is that more batsmen these days get hit in the face/head than when we knew we had to be more agile to avoid the ball, or else end up with a serious injury. The helmet seems to slow down the reflexes of batsmen and/or gives them a false sense of security.
In rugby league this may also happen.

 

[bob dylan]

Headgear would not have avoided the facial injuries suffered by the two Souffs forwards in the GF. I do think, however, that more players will start wearing headgear, although I don;t think it should be compulsory.
In cricket, virtually 100% of batsmen now wear headgear. Back in my day a cap is all we wore. The irony is that more batsmen these days get hit in the face/head than when we knew we had to be more agile to avoid the ball, or else end up with a serious injury. The helmet seems to slow down the reflexes of batsmen and/or gives them a false sense of security.
In rugby league this may also happen.

I reckon it might have saved them because the contact area from the Dogs players was an area that may have been protected.

 

[lsz]

Yeh ideally you would wear something like boxing headgear that provides protection around the jaw and cheeks. However the restriction to peripheral vision makes it useless for RL

Agree but you would think some ironstine could come up with a solution (much like the first Tony Greig cricket helmet evolution)

 

[Fluffy]

They did, its called touch footy

 

[HoldenV8]

Yeh ideally you would wear something like boxing headgear that provides protection around the jaw and cheeks. However the restriction to peripheral vision makes it useless for RL

Didn't Steve Renouf have his headgear modified to protect the jaw after he had his broken at a party he was at before the 1993 NSWRL finals series? Rather than just a strap it was a padded piece that was clearly thicker and I guess offered more protection. Also it didn't seem to have any affect on his peripheral vision.