News Rugby league legend Steve Mortimer reveals he is battling dementia

[Flanagun]

Full respect to Turvs, especially coming forward at this time when players are attacking Vlandys for cracking down on high shots.

Getting sent off the field for an accidental high shot is bad. Suffering dementia or other brain injury due to concussions is much, much worse.

If it can happen to one of the greatest of the game, it can happen to anyone.

Do you not think added fatigue will increase the amount of careless high shots though? Not to mention defenders getting their heads into bad positions. There's no doubt the game needs to do everything in its power to get high tackles out oif the game, but I think allowing substitutions for sin bins, increasing suspension penalties and scrapping the 6 again to limit player fatigue should be at the top of the agenda. Increasing player fatigue will only make them more careless.

 

[wendog33]

I'm all for getting the head high tackle out of the game... I just don't think you can have teams playing 13 on 11....it hurts the quality of the game. Time to consider allowing substitutions for sin binned players.....it would not be a free interchange and the coach would then have to make the call on whether his binned player would return to the game. Significant increase of suspensions for forceful high shots could also be useful. There's no doubt brain injuries are a huge problem, but having teams running around with 11 players is only going to tire players out and increase the likelihood of careless high tackles. The punishment should be predominantly centred on players...allowing interchanges for binned players and increasing suspension penalties is the way to go, IMO.

As far as Turvey goes, it's so sad to hear of his diagnosis.....one of the best two Bulldogs of all time and every time a past player is diagnosed at a relatively early age, it really hammers home the point the NRL needs to try and get high tackles out of the game....but it is a physical game and I don't think having players scaramble to cover for binned players is really the solution. Time will tell, I guess.

Some good ideas.

A problem atm is a guy stays on and then the judiciary suspends him on Monday for 2-5 matches and the team that receives the head high gets just a penalty and the teams playing the offenders team next get the "reward" in a possible x factor player being suspended.

Dont know how they can get around that but...

 

[Flanagun]

Some good ideas.

A problem atm is a guy stays on and then the judiciary suspends him on Monday for 2-5 matches and the team that receives the head high gets just a penalty and the teams playing the offenders team get the "reward" in a possible x factor player being suspended.

Dont know how they can get around that but...

Yeah....but they really have to clamp down in some way....brain trauma is no joke. At least increasing suspensions and allowing sin bin subs would prevent fatigue that could lead to excessive carelessness. I think it is the better way.

 

[wendog33]

Yeah....but they really have to clamp down in some way....brain trauma is no joke. At least increasing suspensions and allowing sin bin subs would prevent fatigue that could lead to excessive carelessness. I think it is the better way.

For sure need to try and stop so many head highs. That wasnt my point. Totally agree.

It was the suspension side of things.

It seems the following teams in the comp gets the benefit of players suspended and the team who got their player injured is left out without the same benefit. Not sure what they can do.

A points system where if the team gets to say 100 points of head high occurrences they lose a point (just joking for those gonna be gettin all upset).

Controversial but coaches would make it work....except its another way for refs to pick on us

 

[bulldogsmyte]

For sure need to try and stop so many head highs. That wasnt my point. Totally agree.

It was the suspension side of things.

It seems the following teams in the comp gets the benefit of players suspended and the team who got their player injured is left out without the same benefit. Not sure what they can do.

A points system where if the team gets to say 100 points of head high occurrences they lose a point (just joking for those gonna be gettin all upset).

Controversial but coaches would make it work....except its another way for refs to pick on us

I think you're onto something. If the coaches themselves were made personally accountable for head high shots in the form of personal fines and even suspensions you would see a dramatic fall in head high shots and players who repeatedly offend would be dropped. No coach would tolerate a reckless player if they themselves were penalised.

 

[wendog33]

I think you're onto something. If the coaches themselves were made personally accountable for head high shots in the form of personal fines and even suspensions you would see a dramatic fall in head high shots and players who repeatedly offend would be dropped. No coach would tolerate a reckless player if they themselves were penalised.

Any chance of them losing points and their positions on the ladder, personal fines, I suspect all these issues will lessen.

 

[Hacky McAxe]

What's your take on the best way of protecting players from long term damage and still keeping the gladiatorial nature of league?

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.

 

[Hacky McAxe]

Do you not think added fatigue will increase the amount of careless high shots though? Not to mention defenders getting their heads into bad positions. There's no doubt the game needs to do everything in its power to get high tackles out oif the game, but I think allowing substitutions for sin bins, increasing suspension penalties and scrapping the 6 again to limit player fatigue should be at the top of the agenda. Increasing player fatigue will only make them more careless.

Yep. Agree 100%

They introduced all these new rules to speed up the game and increase fatigue so there will be more opportunities for skilled backs on tired forwards. But it's like whipping tired slaves. You're only causing more problems.

 

[chisdog]

https://www.facebook.com/307495114515/posts/10159430660519516

What happened here?

 

[chisdog]

I don’t understand why it is not mandatory that players wear headguards. Good on Thurston and Burton for wearing them!

Concussions are generally caused by the brain reverberating inside the skull, so it does very little.

 

[chisdog]

AFL has strict rules about tackling, and it hasn't ruined the game as a spectacle. It just takes a bit of re-learning to stop the high tackles.
It might even bring younger players, with parents worried about head injuries, back to the game.

rules for everybody but Lance Franklin apparently.

 

[chisdog]

Saw Turvey play, and he was a legend. He was playing the same time as Peter Sterling; and Sterling was the darling of the media at the time, with his golden locks (now gone) - Turvey was always second fiddle to him. The combination of Turvey and Greg Brentnall was one of our best.

Hope Turvs can stay safe, and not go the way of some friends and family who suffered badly from the infliction.

Yep, Ray Warren being a Parramatta supporter helped Sterlo's career a lot. They were different players. Mortimer more spark & Sterlo more game management.

 

[wendog33]

What happened here?

Research into a blood test that may diagnose earlier.

 

[wendog33]

Yep, Ray Warren being a Parramatta supporter helped Sterlo's career a lot. They were different players. Mortimer more spark & Sterlo more game management.

Mortimer deserved more recognition and chances to play for the Kangaroos and SOO on a regular basis.

If he'd been a Qlder one of the first picked every game he was available, even if only on the bench.

 

[chisdog]

One thing that should be noted is that the game is vastly different today compared to when Turvey was playing. In the 60s, 70s up until Jim Comans started handing out large suspensions it was like the wild west. There was a lot of punching, kicking, kneeing & swinging arms. There is hardly any of that these days. I think there will be a lot less CTE in the future thanks to Comans.

 

[Powerslide]

would not surprise me if the NRL requested this be withheld from the public until after the changes for Magic Round. Maybe PR got a hold of it and told them we should be doing something more before this comes out. I guess that could explain why it was implemented mid season rather than at the beginning, noise was about lawyers and litigation but that may have followed on from reactions to this being discussed behind closed doors in HO

I echo the thoughts for Turvey my old man is also suffering through it at the moment. It not just terrible for the individuals involved but the stresses it puts on families and relationships.

 

[_G-Dog_]

20 years ago I would have no doubt they would. But these days the in fighting and dick measuring amongst the factions within the club makes me doubt they would even care to be honest.

But the supporters care Turvey and we all love ya champ

Thats a shame if true.. Someones health & wellbeing should have nothing to do with infighting.. especially for a club legend like Turvey whos dedicated so much time & energy to the club..

 

[wendog33]

would not surprise me if the NRL requested this be withheld from the public until after the changes for Magic Round. Maybe PR got a hold of it and told them we should be doing something more before this comes out. I guess that could explain why it was implemented mid season rather than at the beginning, noise was about lawyers and litigation but that may have followed on from reactions to this being discussed behind closed doors in HO

I echo the thoughts for Turvey my old man is also suffering through it at the moment. It not just terrible for the individuals involved but the stresses it puts on families and relationships.

Good points

Sorry about your Dad. Been through it with my Mum too.

She didn't recognise us or any family ....but ..sat up in her chair, alert, looking to watch Bulldogs games....it was the most marvellous thing to see.

 

[The DoggFather]

Don't think head gear is the answer, IIRC, they don't cushion the blows, just stops cuts.

 

[Howie B]

Thats a shame if true.. Someones health & wellbeing should have nothing to do with infighting.. especially for a club legend like Turvey whos dedicated so much time & energy to the club..

Mate I wouldn’t have a clue. Was just pointing out that we ain’t the club we used to be