Kalyn Ponga head knocks

Moedogg

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I'm not sure.. His last comment said way better option than memory loss but Muz has bad dementia so either way it's a bad example because Ponga may still have issues down the road like Muz does because he's had his fair share of concussions too. A lot of the times the symptoms don't become severe til years later like in Muz's case..
I just meant that its better to save himself from further damage by walking away from the $1.4m contract and starting another career than risk ending up like Mario who I assume is suffering from his current condition due to years of head trauma.
 

B-Train

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I just meant that its better to save himself from further damage by walking away from the $1.4m contract and starting another career than risk ending up like Mario who I assume is suffering from his current condition due to years of head trauma.
Fair enough, I see what you mean now.. Ponga would want to keep playing for a while because he's still so young but he needs to sit out for several weeks between concussions before he plays again.

He would definitely have a viable career in the media post footy though and make decent money that way.
 

gbrussell

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I said when the move of Ponga to 6 was first mooted that it would backfire because of his defensive frailties. The first tackle he attempted yesterday on a big back rower, he gets poleaxed after going for the upper part of the ball carriers body.

While he might be a $1m player in attack, there are two parts to the game of Rugby League and he is not anywhere near good enough to defend in the front line. He WILL get targeted again and again,

If O’brien is serious about him playing there permanently he needs to place a hard hitting back rower in the defensive line on Ponga’s inside and instruct him to not allow the ball to get outside him. Pretty basic coaching.

Bennett did this with Tonie Carroll defending inside Lockyer, and also with Beau Scott defending inside Soward when they were at Saints.

If he doesn’t do this Ponga will get exposed for the fraud he is in defence over and over again.
 

daisy

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Kurt Mann did him know favours, banging his head over and over into the toilet cubicle , bum funning each other up there in two head city. Apparently the day after that they went and photographed birds together, and Kurty added to Kalyan’s tough stickers by penning a starling on his left forearm, adding to his marvellous collection of what looks to be etchings done by a 3 year old on the spectrum. Oh football players of today, so in touch, so artsy, so creative, so misunderstood.
 

Roger the alien

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He's not gonna retire on that contract but he does need an extended break from the game.
 

The DoggFather

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Would that neck brace thing the QLD guy wore help with whiplash?
 

UmoGus

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He needs to play fullback or nothing. His career and more importantly his health is on the line atm.
 

Doogie

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Would that neck brace thing the QLD guy wore help with whiplash?
Nope. Tate had fused discs from a broken back and needed the brace.

He's got a glass head now. Same thing with Pucovski (cricketer and supposed next big thing). Its an interesting case - we'll see how serious the Nrl is about player welfare.
 

The DoggFather

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Nope. Tate had fused discs from a broken back and needed the brace.

He's got a glass head now. Same thing with Pucovski (cricketer and supposed next big thing). Its an interesting case - we'll see how serious the Nrl is about player welfare.
So really there isn't any protection against concussion apart from good technique?
 

Doogie

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So really there isn't any protection against concussion apart from good technique?
Nope. The energy transfers through to the brain and shakes it up. Some can handle a bit, others cannot. And technique? You go high to lock the ball up and risk a head clash. You go into the ribs and eventually you are hitting someones hip.

Per above - Pucovski wears a cricket helmet and he gets hit once - concussion. Obviously Ponga is at that stage now. Best he can hope for is a long lay off and give the brain a chance for recovery. Pucovski had over a year off and still hasn't made a difference so my guess is nothing to be done except walk away.
 

The DoggFather

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Nope. The energy transfers through to the brain and shakes it up. Some can handle a bit, others cannot. And technique? You go high to lock the ball up and risk a head clash. You go into the ribs and eventually you are hitting someones hip.

Per above - Pucovski wears a cricket helmet and he gets hit once - concussion. Obviously Ponga is at that stage now. Best he can hope for is a long lay off and give the brain a chance for recovery. Pucovski had over a year off and still hasn't made a difference so my guess is nothing to be done except walk away.
I have been blessed, played from 5 to 22 and never concussed.

Having a head made out of concrete helps I guess lol
 

maroondog72

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He’s done, you could hit him with a feather now and it would knock him out. Career over, poor bastard.
 

GoTheDoggies

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He needs to fall at the line like Tedesco, slip, slide and avoid the contact. Fall over like a coward and bitch out on the contact.
 

GoTheDoggies

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Nope. Tate had fused discs from a broken back and needed the brace.

He's got a glass head now. Same thing with Pucovski (cricketer and supposed next big thing). Its an interesting case - we'll see how serious the Nrl is about player welfare.
If you keep getting hit with a cricket ball your technique stinks. Same with Ponga he has no clue how to tackle, his technique is crap.

Also I'm pretty sure Radley has been concussed way more times but keeps coming back.
 

Marki

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Maybe he can wear an NFL helmet? Headgear didnt help. Or maybe he can stop tackling with his head?
From what I've seen of his recent knocks, he could be riding a bike and and be struck by a fly and he'll be concussed.

Some of these hits are as innocuous as they come, yet he is stunned by them.

I'm not sure he's fully recovered.

May need some prolonged time on the sidelines to recover.
 

Doogie

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If you keep getting hit with a cricket ball your technique stinks. Same with Ponga he has no clue how to tackle, his technique is crap.

Also I'm pretty sure Radley has been concussed way more times but keeps coming back.
I agree with you on Pucovski. Never really got the love affair Australia has and tbf - thought his technique is clunky.

Not sure you can compare with Radley - no two humans or the impacts are the same. Radley may also pay more down the track - who knows - if brain injuries were this simple we wouldn't be having this discussion.
 

Marki

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Nope. The energy transfers through to the brain and shakes it up. Some can handle a bit, others cannot. And technique? You go high to lock the ball up and risk a head clash. You go into the ribs and eventually you are hitting someones hip.

Per above - Pucovski wears a cricket helmet and he gets hit once - concussion. Obviously Ponga is at that stage now. Best he can hope for is a long lay off and give the brain a chance for recovery. Pucovski had over a year off and still hasn't made a difference so my guess is nothing to be done except walk away.
I'm afraid I agree with you.
I also believe predetermined movement of the brain fluid (by seeing and bracing for impact before it happens to you) can reduce the severity of the concussion.
 

Moedogg

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Solution.

Take a year off.

Shift back to FB.

Trade in the step for a fend.
 
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