Independent medical assessments

[tig_prmz]

I'd like to take the focus away from the Wests Tigers and focus at a larger issue of player welfare.

The thought of independent medics has been thrown around quite often especially with the modified concussion rules. I think we should go a little further:

1\. Independent trainers and medical doctors available during games who don't just have the final say on concussion but also on the physical capability of the player (ala GI Round 1)
2\. Every player should go through a short medical plus physical assessment a day prior to each game via an independent agency
3\. NRL issued independent consultants should be present in each team which monitor player welfare (physical and mental) in order to prevent any banned substance use, any "shortcuts" to rehab or any athlete sufferring from any mental issues.
4\. Make the clubs responsible to officially take notes of the exercise or medicine prescription of each player, especially those in rehab

I think all this is important not just to take the power away from clubs but also for player welfare.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

You're doing something involved with sports medicine yeah TP?

 

[balmain boy]

Yeah would be a good idea

 

[tig_prmz]

You're doing something involved with sports medicine yeah TP?

yep something related to that

i am not too involved yet but hope to be in the future.. but what i've seen so far i know that the lines are very blurry. there should be only one influence on whether a player is allowed to play or not.. what the player thinks, what the coaches say etc shouldnt factor into this at all.

the club trainers are coming into the firing line when they have tremendous pressure from all corners regarding stopping the play, assessing a patient on the field etc. there was an example from the other week, cant remember which teams were involved (eels vs titans i think :question: ) but a player was heavily concussed but refused to come off and the trainer was too scared to tell the ref to stop the play. the play should've been stopped and the player forced to come off.

the game is tough and a 100 years old, but we don't live in the 20th century anymore

 

[Nelson]

Your idea has a legal problem in that it shifts liability off the clubs and onto the NRL who are supplying the independents, and onto the independents themselves. That will not be attractive to the NRL.

 

[happy_tiger]

As they say , you need to be able to use what ideas you have and apply them to a GF

Do you think that Melbourne would be happy to lose Smith , Us Tedesco , Cowboys Thurston , Titans James , Broncos Milford , Canberra Hodgson etc etc etc to an independent medical assessor with 20 minutes left in a GF for a Concussion

Totally agree with it , but there would be some real interesting situations

 

[Swordy]

I think independent Doctors on game day only should be appointed exactly the same as referees.

Outside of game day, the club can have their own Doctor, same as any other employer, (with the exception of the mid week HIA review by an independent Dr…...see below.)

I also think this 18th man is a crock and would be rorted. Im happy to have an 18th man, but he is included in your interchanges.

They should ABSOLUTELY crack down on the foul play stuff. I dont know why they dont send players off for the game, as in the old days, in the case of foul play. It can be reviewed by the bunker on the spot. Send the player for 10 minutes and check during that time to see if it is a permanent send off. Part of our game is you risk being sent off and you let your team and fans down if you are, so I dont subsrcibe to the view of 'ripping off the fans' if it is 13 against 12\. Guess what. Stiff cheddar, you shouldnt have done it. If it really bothers the fans, send the player off and he can be replaced so its 13 v 13, but the sent off player cannot return.

Also to the clubs going 'milking' players going off for the HIA, you can come back on if you pass your test but you have to be assessed by the independent Doctor before next game and could be sitting out next week. That would stop clubs rorting that, if they think they are risking a week off for a gun forward.

 

[happy_tiger]

I think independent Doctors on game day only should be appointed exactly the same as referees.

Outside of game day, the club can have their own Doctor, same as any other employer, (with the exception of the mid week HIA review by an independent Dr…...see below.)

I also think this 18th man is a crock and would be rorted. Im happy to have an 18th man, but he is included in your interchanges.

They should ABSOLUTELY crack down on the foul play stuff. I dont know why they dont send players off for the game, as in the old days, in the case of foul play. It can be reviewed by the bunker on the spot. Send the player for 10 minutes and check during that time to see if it is a permanent send off. Part of our game is you risk being sent off and you let your team and fans down if you are, so I dont subsrcibe to the view of 'ripping off the fans' if it is 13 against 12\. Guess what. Stiff cheddar, you shouldnt have done it. If it really bothers the fans, send the player off and he can be replaced so its 13 v 13, but the sent off player cannot return.

Also to the clubs going 'milking' players going off for the HIA, you can come back on if you pass your test but you have to be assessed by the independent Doctor before next game and could be sitting out next week. That would stop clubs rorting that, if they think they are risking a week off for a gun forward.

Easiest way to stop clubs rorting is forget fines the rich club just laugh at that , competition points is the tough fix

2nd time and you lose 2 points and 2 points for every breach after that

 

[tig_prmz]

Outside of game day, the club can have their own Doctor, same as any other employer, (with the exception of the mid week HIA review by an independent Dr…...see below.)

yep im happy with clubs having their own staff, that's an imperative. off field staff like doctors, physios, trainers and coaches is what differentiates a lot of teams tbh.

however, i feel like an independent assessment needs to be performed each week and everything needs to be overseen by an independent consultant.

for e.g. you get in a car accident and suffer a whiplash injury. the insurance company who pays for your treatment hires a consultant to make sure the docs and the physios are doing their jobs properly.