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CANTERBURY enforcer James Graham has demanded NRL players be allowed decide wether they return to the field after suffering a head knock, stressing: “We know what the risks are”.
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Why does a doctor tell me I can’t go back on?’’ Graham asked. “Why can’t that be my choice?
“For me, concussion is such a grey area. I know something has happened over in America, in the NFL, and that’s had a ripple effect through to here.
“But this is a contact sport and things are going to happen. We know the risks.
No one wants to see players suffering serious damage, but I think (when a player has received a knock) you should really ask them and see if they want to play on.
“I know I’ve had a knock to the head, a doctor has asked me to come off and he’s probably right. But I’ve also had a slight knock before and been told I had to come off. And I’ve felt fine.”
Told his opinion would be hotly debated, Graham continued: “I’m happy for people to disagree, this is just my opinion.
“People might think it’s a stupid example, but if I smoke all the warnings are there on the packet, saying what the damage can be.
“But does a doctor walk down the street, go into a cafe and stub out someone’s cigarette because they’re technically killing themselves? No they don’t.
It’s why I think, given players know the risk, they should have more say. Let them say ‘no, I’m okay’. I want to play on.”
Graham even questioned the effectiveness of current NRL concussion testing.
“For the tests, they get you to stand on one foot for 20 seconds with your eyes closed,” he said.
“Some players couldn’t do that on a daily basis … let alone when they’ve got boots on and a thousand different things going through their head regarding the game.”
http://mobile.news.com.au/sport/nrl...ing-a-head-knock/story-fndv2wg4-1227276910168
View attachment 22428
View attachment 22429
Why does a doctor tell me I can’t go back on?’’ Graham asked. “Why can’t that be my choice?
“For me, concussion is such a grey area. I know something has happened over in America, in the NFL, and that’s had a ripple effect through to here.
“But this is a contact sport and things are going to happen. We know the risks.
No one wants to see players suffering serious damage, but I think (when a player has received a knock) you should really ask them and see if they want to play on.
“I know I’ve had a knock to the head, a doctor has asked me to come off and he’s probably right. But I’ve also had a slight knock before and been told I had to come off. And I’ve felt fine.”
Told his opinion would be hotly debated, Graham continued: “I’m happy for people to disagree, this is just my opinion.
“People might think it’s a stupid example, but if I smoke all the warnings are there on the packet, saying what the damage can be.
“But does a doctor walk down the street, go into a cafe and stub out someone’s cigarette because they’re technically killing themselves? No they don’t.
It’s why I think, given players know the risk, they should have more say. Let them say ‘no, I’m okay’. I want to play on.”
Graham even questioned the effectiveness of current NRL concussion testing.
“For the tests, they get you to stand on one foot for 20 seconds with your eyes closed,” he said.
“Some players couldn’t do that on a daily basis … let alone when they’ve got boots on and a thousand different things going through their head regarding the game.”
http://mobile.news.com.au/sport/nrl...ing-a-head-knock/story-fndv2wg4-1227276910168