By the time they get to the NRL, players know full well their chances of being injured, they sign contracts that spell out the risks that they are willingly to take. They have had hundreds of sessions with club player welfare officers explaining the risks. Players are not ignorant of what they are exposing their bodies to, they play the game with that knowledge and have agreed to accepting the risks. If they don’t want to risk it then then can simply choose not to play, to take on some other vocation.
Of course this was not always the case, but it is now, players play knowing what can happen to them, today, tomorrow and for the rest of their lives.
Always a Bulldog
Agree entirely. Players are more than aware of the risks.
The NRL has responsibility for providing a safe workplace.
I just watched the Fox 'mini' and heard the commentators talking about May's 'duty of care'.
The NRL has primary duty of care to provide a safe workplace.
If it is proven to be negligent in providing a safe workplace, then it is potentially liable.
We have seen the type of 'tackle' May made last night quite a bit over the past season or two. It seems to be coming more common. And it is right to say players are not ignorant of what they are exposing their bodies to.
Even while the consequent impacts are increasingly sickening.
The NRL has a duty of care to identify the dangers posed by increased frequency of these 'tackles' and to take appropriate action.
If it doesn't then it runs the risk of being proven negligent and liable for damages.
So the NRL's problem is negligence (not duty of care which is clearly established).
May, and any other player using this technique is just doing what they have been trained to do.
Players who are injured by it are, as you say, aware of the risk.
I really hope we don't see Bulldogs players doing it or being injured by it.
I just want to sit back with a cold beer and enjoy some cracking football. Not cracking of skulls.