Former NSW Origin winger James McManus sues Newcastle Knights over concussions

[HappilyManly]

Former NSW Origin winger James McManus sues Newcastle Knights over concussions
Adrian Proszenko

Former NSW State of Origin winger James McManus is taking legal action against the Newcastle Knights over the club's handling of his concussions in a landmark case that will have huge ramifications for Australian sport.

The case, which begins with a directions hearing in the Supreme Court next month, is sure to be closely scrutinised by the legal and sporting fraternity and could result in more actions being taken against sporting clubs and bodies for negligence.

McManus made all of his 166 NRL appearances for the Knights in a career that also included three Origin games. However, the career of the Scotland-born three-quarter came to a premature halt after suffering the last in a series of concussions in the round-20 loss to South Sydney in July of 2015. McManus sat out the remainder of that season and didn't play again, officially announcing his retirement from the game on medical grounds in August of last year. He has since been working for Newcastle in a business development role in the club's corporate team.

Knights chairman Brian McGuigan said the club respected McManus' right to sue, but would be defending its handling of his concussions.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...knights-over-concussions-20170225-gul6z8.html

 

[MadMarcus]

It will be interesting to see where this all ends up. In the heat of battle the coaches, players and fans often forget that the players are people and may have to live for their rest of their lives with the consequences of a decision to return to the field when they are not up to it.

 

[Loobs]

Toddy Greenturd has a hard on for the NFL so he'll try to pull a Roger and deny deny deny when it comes to concussions.

 

[nightster]

get ready for NTRL 'National Touch Rugby League' ...

 

[MANLY4LIFE]

Juicy payout ,sweep under table rinse wash repeat , the NRL can't allow this to go too far it will mean the end !!

Could you imagine the players lining up to sue if this went ahead

 

[mave]

Players know the risks...its a contact sport ffs.

The article says the Knights doc cleared evetything...
If this is true, then McManus makes his choices, and lives by them.

 

[Snake]

Players know the risks...its a contact sport ffs.

The article says the Knights doc cleared evetything...
If this is true, then McManus makes his choices, and lives by them.

What a scum bag this guy is.

His employer pays him hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to play a sport he chose to play and then his own journey in the game goes south through his unique genetic response to something that can happen to any footballer, and he choses to bite the hand that fed him.

It's like doing motorcross and you brake your leg doing a stunt jump and decide to sue the Person who made the jump.

Live by the sword, die by the sword...

 

[Deleted member 26876]

What a d***

 

[NYEagle]

I always wondered where Mc_anus ended up.
NYEagle

 

[Pablo]

Rugby League, a 20th century sport facing the BS of life in the 21st century.

Clubs will make sure no one plays there whole career as a 1 club player now. Leaves them open to be sued for every injury that a player gets in their career that impacts on life after footy.

 

[tookey]

Twatmough is suing parramatta for ruining his career 3 years early and also damaging his knee

And he is also suing Geoff Toovey for putting the child locks on his car so that he couldn't get out for training

 

[KOMORI]

I'm guessing that some of you ain't ever pulled on the boots.. I played 20 years of front row and it's left me physically and mentally rooted. Fortunately I've got some sort of Klingon like skull as only once was I ever knocked out: didn't stop the fact that my memory was total rubbish and is only slightly better now or the fact that I had to learn how to write again in my 20's... or the fact that both my knees and one of my shoulders are now made of cheese...

However... if they find in favor of McManus it could potentially destroy Rugby League as we know it. Every time you take the field you know the risks and bear that in mind. At a young age you're bullet proof and never consider that in 20 years you're gunna regret taking the strappers' advice over the doctor..

If they find that he played after an "ok" from club doctors when he really shouldn't have, well that could have huge implications.. there is a point though where you've got to consider for yourself if you're ok to play or not. It will come down to wether he should have made that call or if he listened to the doctor instead..

Interesting times ahead..

 

[mave]

Having re-read the article, im confused...

McManus gets pulled from playing due to medical reasons by the club.

Club gives him a job off field.

McManus sues club ...

If the club pulled his career, wtf is he sueing for ?

 

[Woodsie]

Having re-read the article, im confused...

McManus gets pulled from playing due to medical reasons by the club.

Club gives him a job off field.

McManus sues club ...

If the club pulled his career, wtf is he sueing for ?

Because the club has insurance and his solicitor advised him to. As the club said, they respect his right to do so.

The bigger implications here are on bush footy and the juniors that don't have the money to fund large insurance premiums. The NRL can afford it.

Could be the last straw.

 

[Woodsie]

I'm guessing that some of you ain't ever pulled on the boots.. I played 20 years of front row and it's left me physically and mentally rooted. Fortunately I've got some sort of Klingon like skull as only once was I ever knocked out: didn't stop the fact that my memory was total rubbish and is only slightly better now or the fact that I had to learn how to write again in my 20's... or the fact that both my knees and one of my shoulders are now made of cheese...

However... if they find in favor of McManus it could potentially destroy Rugby League as we know it. Every time you take the field you know the risks and bear that in mind. At a young age you're bullet proof and never consider that in 20 years you're gunna regret taking the strappers' advice over the doctor..

If they find that he played after an "ok" from club doctors when he really shouldn't have, well that could have huge implications.. there is a point though where you've got to consider for yourself if you're ok to play or not. It will come down to wether he should have made that call or if he listened to the doctor instead..

Interesting times ahead..

But as a prop at least you were starting from a pretty low base. (hehehe)

If he took the Doctors advice then the club wouldn't be negligent, having provided professional care, however if that advice was not correct (given latest best practise) then the case would change to a malpractice suit.

And Doctors have that particular game sewn up.

 

[KOMORI]

But as a prop at least you were starting from a pretty low base. (hehehe)

Harsh.... but fair 😉

 

[mave]

Because the club has insurance and his solicitor advised him to. As the club said, they respect his right to do so. The bigger implications here are on bush footy and the juniors that don't have the money to fund large insurance premiums. The NRL can afford it. Could be the last straw.

If it ends up like the NFL payout, I dont know if the NRL can afford it either, without upping revenue somehow, or cutting funding to everything. Basically as a race, we have gone from galdiatorial contests to the death and we will end up playing an even more sanitised version of touch footy. Sometimes I really loathe people.

 

[Snake]

I'm guessing that some of you ain't ever pulled on the boots..

not sure what angle you are taking with that comment?

At the end of the day if you choose to play a contact sport at any age, you have to be responsible for that decision. He willingly competed. It just seems these days that society is always looking for someone else to blame. The world is not a perfectly measured and calculated environment and at the end of the day, even if you are in hospital being treated for cancer, you are at the mercy of the universe.

Even the Doctor treating you is just a person who read a heap of books and wrote a ton of essays and was handed a piece of paper with a rubber stamp...**** happens.

 

[lsz]

Prepared to get flamed

If the game results in players having serious illness / conditions the rest of their lives (all for our entertainment) then maybe the game does need to change.

I am just not sure how supporters can judge the impact on players

 

[KOMORI]

not sure what angle you are taking with that comment?
.

Have you played? Honestly, I'd not change many things from growing up, but living with endless chronic injuries is bloody awful and I wouldn't wish it on the stupidest person I've never met.

When it comes to the game, you play every second you can no matter how bad you're hurt. It takes more guts to acknowledge you're really hurt and take time off than it does to play through the injuries. In this case perhaps the club doctor should have shown a little more sack and enforced an extra week or two off: then this court case may not have happened.

I'm betting there was a little pressure applied behind the scenes to try and keep their best players on the field no matter what the situation... and it's come back to bite.