News Rugby league legend Steve Mortimer reveals he is battling dementia

[sifter6]

Sad news, he’s only 64 too. That’s young .

Terrible news! It should be noted though (re: head injuries), many people in their 50s - 60s die of dementia-related disease, people that have never played contact sports. Dementia is the pits though.

 

[chisdog]

Just an article regarding the latest in the NFL on concussions and extent of the problem over there with (many more players) and payouts and black players assessments . Can understand the NRL concerns.

NFL pledges to halt 'race-norming,' review Black claims

The NFL is pledging to halt the use of “race-norming” in the $1 billion settlement of brain injury claims and to review Black claims for any potential race bias.

apnews.com

The NRL should have instigated a new clause in their contracts a few years ago that players acknowledge the rugby league is a contact sport & the risks associated with it & as long as the NRL tries to stamp out illegal / thuggish behaviour that they will will not hold the NRL liable for damages.

 

[wendog33]

The NRL should have instigated a new clause in their contracts a few years ago that players acknowledge the rugby league is a contact sport & the risks associated with it & as long as the NRL tries to stamp out illegal / thuggish behaviour that they will will not hold the NRL liable for damages.

I don't think that would hold up sufficiently in court in 10-20 years time... not sure on that clause... but yes they have to do all they can to stamp out deliberate thuggery.

Make the coaches as liable as the players and watch it get rubbed out

 

[blue & white blood]

Great story. Wish I could say it was at a GF but as a teenager back then, it was more most of my mates were Parra Bandwagoners despite us all living on the border between Saints and the Dogs. Remember once telling Skull to GGF and offered to take him on at Kogarah until my St.G mates pulled me away telling me I was asking to be killed They were probably right

Condolences on your loss. Hopefully he's sitting up there with Folkesy right now reliving some good times.

Thank you for your kind, condolences, It was actually the love & passion for our beloved Dogs that brought my father and I close together, Wow! Skull, I'd forgotten all about that dick head, amazing memories I'm glad you joined the long list of people who told that raciest Idiot to GGF, I reckon you would have beat him, he was all show with no ticker the silly Nazi Barstard, Thank you again.

 

[dogluva]

At this stage there's very little you can do. In the US many are pushing to end the NFL because they've found that even if they turn it into Rugby League, there's still no way to really stop the concussions. All you can do is do something like what Vlandys is doing. Crack down on high shots. It won't stop concussions but it'll reduce them.

If you really want to stop concussions there's only one way. Stop playing.

If you listen to those in the states who follow our game they are astounded that the players in the NRL do not wear helmets considering the contact that occurs. This from people who follow a sport where players wear padding, helmets etc to protect every conceivable part of their bodies. I agree about high shots, but what I and a lot of others object to is a tackler being punished and suspended for a tackle in which there is no way to know if a player will slip down approaching a tackler. It could start as a great midriff/hip tackle that ends up higher and around the head area quite by accident.
Player fatigue due to the NRL insistence of speeding up the game to the degree it has been, can also lead to judgement errors where intent to injure is not considered.

You are right...to eliminate any possibility of concussions there is only one way to go.......the game dies.

Our sport is not the only one in which you can be concussed, soccer, union, AFL, even softball ..... because I was concussed playing in a game where the ball was hit with extreme force towards me ,so much so, that when I caught the ball (in the shortstop position) in my glove basically at knee level, well technically I was in the squat position, I was knocked backwards and slammed my head into the ground. Positive was I held the catch to force the out. Concussion sucks and thankfully that was the first and last time I suffered such an injury.

 

[Doogie]

Thank you for your kind, condolences, It was actually the love & passion for our beloved Dogs that brought my father and I close together, Wow! Skull, I'd forgotten all about that dick head, amazing memories I'm glad you joined the long list of people who told that raciest Idiot to GGF, I reckon you would have beat him, he was all show with no ticker the silly Nazi Barstard, Thank you again.
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Yeah - thats him. Didn't know any of this except he used to climb over the fence at Kogarah to get in. My story was he got someone to lift a slab of VB over the fence. My StG mates were sucking him off (metaphorically) to get a free beer and thought as a lark (with my Turvey jersey on) give me one too u dumb StG cnt. Told me to fck off and that I had something to do with Turvey's ringhole - told him that when I'd finished with him he'd be eating out of his ringhole. Thats when my mates pulled me to the other side of Kogarah and told me not to go there...

Probably could have taken him (I cheated a little back then with some pro training) but the brawl it would have started... The 22 makes me think I owe my mates back then a beer

Good times brother - really good times. They'll come again - be patient.

 

[The DoggFather]

Best memories of Turvey was he and Dr George hanging out with us in the Army.

 

[D0GMATIC]

Best wishes to Turvey for the struggle ahead

 

[bulldogsmyte]

I love your post as I did the same thing getting in to punch ups to defend my hero, the biggest was at the 1979 Grand Final, where I had a big punch up with this huge ST George supporter, we were niggling each other before the game, and then he called Steve Mortimer a big cat and It was just after ST George scored their first try, ( which infuriated me even more ) and it was on for young and old, lucky it was broken up before security & the cops got there, Anyway unfortunately we lost the game after a courage's comeback by "the entertainers" but the good news is I won the fight. Needless to say that was my last live Grand Final since then I watch them all in the peace, quiet, & Comfort of my own lounge room with my favorite, Steve Mortimer/ Bulldog Supporter My Father who unfortunately passed away 3 Weeks ago, I am really going to miss him when the Bulldogs finally play in another Grand Final..

We should have won the 79 GF. St George first try was off such a blatant forward pass that even Rex Mossop called it. Take away that dodgy 5 points and we win by 1. I was in tears at half time because we were getting smashed by their forwards and I remember Turvey saved several tries with his trade mark cover defence. I was just a kid back then but I'll always remember that GF because of the magic run we made from 5th place largely due to Mortimer's brilliant solo tries against Cronulla and Parra in the finals and his overall play.

 

[DinkumDog]

Sad that Peter had to accept the Mortimer/McCarthy Cup tonight. Hope Steve is doing OK .

 

[EXPLORER]

Dementia is a cruel cruel disease.
My dad has it and is in his mid 70s.
He is on the tail end of it now.
His end will come soon enough.

It really sux, it's such a cruel condition.

I wish the Mortimer family the best.
And it won't be long and Steve won't recognise anyone, he will become a complete zombi.

I wish our laws could change to allow mercy killings when quality of life is no more.

 

[The DoggFather]

Dementia is a cruel cruel disease.
My dad has it and is in his mid 70s.
He is on the tail end of it now.
His end will come soon enough.

It really sux, it's such a cruel condition.

I wish the Mortimer family the best.
And it won't be long and Steve won't recognise anyone, he will become a complete zombi.

I wish our laws could change to allow mercy killings when quality of life is no more.

My wife's grandmother is struggling with it too.... they are talking days, not weeks.

 

[EXPLORER]

My wife's grandmother is struggling with it too.... they are talking days, not weeks.

I am hanging out for the day they tell me dad has days left.
It's a blessing
The sooner the better.

 

[The DoggFather]

I am hanging out for the day they tell me dad has days left.
It's a blessing
The sooner the better.

It's fkn hard.

All my power and prayers to you, your dad and family my brother...you know I mean it.

 

[Trinfly]

Dementia is a cruel cruel disease.
My dad has it and is in his mid 70s.
He is on the tail end of it now.
His end will come soon enough.

It really sux, it's such a cruel condition.

I wish the Mortimer family the best.
And it won't be long and Steve won't recognise anyone, he will become a complete zombi.

I wish our laws could change to allow mercy killings when quality of life is no more.

Cruel is the best word

 

[DinkumDog]

Very cruel indeed, I’ve seen it close enough too.
@Fear.The.Roo @ASSASSIN wish your family members the best for the time they have left.

 

[EXPLORER]

It's fkn hard.

All my power and prayers to you, your dad and family my brother...you know I mean it.

Love you bro

 

[EXPLORER]

Very cruel indeed, I’ve seen it close enough too.
@Fear.The.Roo @ASSASSIN wish your family members the best for the time they have left.

Cheers mate.

 

[The DoggFather]

Love you bro

Right back at you brother

 

[Turvey Chip and Chase]

So terribly sad. I loved Turvey. Apart from being a local boy, he’s the reason I’m a one eyed fan…

My mum has dementia also, such a beautiful human, now living in a home with this as its now beyond our help. It’s killed us, but it’s unfortunate all too too common. My blessings for your loved ones also gents.