Rise for Alex round

[innsaneink]

I hope as many people here as possible can get to a game this weekend, I think one dollar for each spectator will be donated to Alex' fund.

The NRL will donate $1 for every fan who attends any game this weekend to the Rise for Alex Fund, which has been established to cover McKinnon’s ongoing medical and living expenses.

Rise For Alex wristbands are available for $2 each at every NRL game this weekend.

The NRL has established a call centre to take donations, or donations they can be made online at [www.riseforalex.org.au](http://www.riseforalex.org.au) or by texting RiseForAlex to 0498 555 555.

Thurston is wearing Alex' no.16 this weekend, I think Farah should wear the 16 jumper too, it can be signed by all players and auctioned to raise money.

We are ALL part of the Rugby League community, lets ALL do a little

 

[balmain boy]

Frankly, I'm over all this Rise for Alex crap.

I mean, i feel sorry for him and sincerely hope he can make a full recovery, and walk again as quickly as possible as wish him the best of luck. But the Tigers have lost 3 players to career ending injuries in the past 6 years, none of whom got any recognition other than perhaps a sentence in the odd article here or there in the couple of weeks immediately after it happened.

And then there are the many other examples i'm sure other clubs have where players have suffered serious injuries playing footy. No-one has ever got any help from the NRL, despite dedicating their lives to the sport, and having their careers tragically cut short and with little/no means to earn a living. Yet suddenly Alex gets a couple of tribute rounds, a nationally televised fundraising campaign and is featured regularly on every media outlet in the country.

It's just not a balanced reaction. The NRL is still the only professional sporting body in Australian the UK and the USA that doesn't have an insurance plan for its players. Most examples get pushed into the 'something to do later pile' but this kid gets a year long media circus.

I repeat that I do wish him well on his recovery journey, but the whole system wreaks of inequality and the NRL doing PR for a high profile case rather than consistently supporting their athletes!

 

[hobbo]

Frankly, I'm over all this Rise for Alex crap.

I mean, i feel sorry for him and sincerely hope he can make a full recovery, and walk again as quickly as possible as wish him the best of luck. But the Tigers have lost 3 players to career ending injuries in the past 6 years, none of whom got any recognition other than perhaps a sentence in the odd article here or there in the couple of weeks immediately after it happened.

And then there are the many other examples i'm sure other clubs have where players have suffered serious injuries playing footy. No-one has ever got any help from the NRL, despite dedicating their lives to the sport, and having their careers tragically cut short and with little/no means to earn a living. Yet suddenly Alex gets a couple of tribute rounds, a nationally televised fundraising campaign and is featured regularly on every media outlet in the country.

It's just not a balanced reaction. The NRL is still the only professional sporting body in Australian the UK and the USA that doesn't have an insurance plan for its players. Most examples get pushed into the 'something to do later pile' but this kid gets a year long media circus.

I repeat that I do wish him well on his recovery journey, but the whole system wreaks of inequality and the NRL doing PR for a high profile case rather than consistently supporting their athletes!

I agree with this post ..

_Posted using RoarFEED V.4_

 

[Juro]

I'd be much happier donating to something that was going to help all players who have suffered career ending injuries, something like Men of League. Let Alex be a figurehead for it, but let it help more than just one guy. Who is looking after Simon Dwyer or Taniela Tuiaki?

 

[beachtiger]

You can't be serious?!?

Totally understand what your saying about Simon Dwyer and the Tank (plus others in the game) but Alex can't walk, can barely move his arms and you're "over this crap"!!!

Some people are beyond comprehension.

The above mentioned players that have had "career" ending injuries can still go and get a job and whilst Simon Dwyer has his own battles I can't believe you can be so dismissive about Alex's plight!!

 

[Flippedy]

As tragic as the cases of Taniela, Dwyer, Yow Yeh and others whose careers have prematurely ended, may be, they are nothing compared to what Alex has suffered.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

You can't compare Tuiaki breaking his freaking ankle, as unfortunate as it was, to a guy who may never walk again. Theres just no comparison. Throughout the yrs a ton of players have had their careers ended due to injury, not just Dwyer, Tuiaki and Fulton. None ever to the extent of McKinnon.

 

[TurnStyle]

at the risk of sounding insensitive… actually, scrub that: compared to an above post, this one is far from it!...

anyway, no offence or cynicism intended, but couldn't they come up with a less ironic motto than "Rise For Alex"? i mean, isn't that kind of rubbing it in to a guy in a wheelchair?!

okay, thats pretty cynical... :blush:

 

[Juro]

I'm not saying to not look after Alex. I am just saying that all players should be looked after. Alex may need more support than others, but that doesn't mean that the others should be ignored by the rugby league community.

 

[Tiger_Watto]

'Rise for Alex' is an initiative by the people of Newcastle and those around him… It is not an NRL campaign, they are just supporting it.

I read on Facebook this morning that some Tiger Fans are going to boycott this weeks round in protest to the neglect of Simon etc... I found that an absolute disgrace!

So, if the people of Newcastle can garner support to the levels this is being driven, why havnt the people of Wests Tigers pushed through to ensure a similar campaign is in play for Simon?

Have we the fans failed him???

 

[jirskyr]

I agree with Balmain Boy to some extent, it's unfortunate it took an injury as serious as McKinnon to make the NRL recognise these negative outcomes of the trade.

Yes McKinnon is the most tragic outcome of injury in some time, but it is not as if Dwyer or Tuiaki or Yow Yeh are fine; who knows how things will work out for Fulton.

 

[TurnStyle]

'Rise for Alex' is an initiative by the people of Newcastle and those around him… It is not an NRL campaign, they are just supporting it.

I read on Facebook this morning that some Tiger Fans are going to boycott this weeks round in protest to the neglect of Simon etc... I found that an absolute disgrace!

So, if the people of Newcastle can garner support to the levels this is being driven, why havnt the people of Wests Tigers pushed through to ensure a similar campaign is in play for Simon?

Have we the fans failed him???

i dont know about recently, but i thought that the club was treating dwyer pretty well? doesnt he have a job with them? hope so.

im unsure how boycotting a game will be effective? unless only 34 people watch the game it doesnt seem like people are going to notice fans not being there. maybe a "what about simon?" banner or something would be more effective?

even just from here it is clear the fans havent forgotten him. i suppose a charity type game could be for his benefit? but maybe it could get out of hand where there become too many of them? dont know…

 

[Marshall_magic]

You can't be serious?!?

Totally understand what your saying about Simon Dwyer and the Tank (plus others in the game) but Alex can't walk, can barely move his arms and you're "over this crap"!!!

Some people are beyond comprehension.

The above mentioned players that have had "career" ending injuries can still go and get a job and whilst Simon Dwyer has his own battles I can't believe you can be so dismissive about Alex's plight!!

This, it's one thing for a player to suffer an injury which means they can't play elite level Rugby League again, but Alex is 22 and may not walk again. It's not like the club can talk to a sponsor and set him up with a new job or even employ him within the club, if it is worst case scenario what can he actually do? He'd probably have to revamp his house as well.

Personally I admire his attitude and his resolve through the whole ordeal. I believe the fund being set up this week is not just for him but other players who have suffered serious injuries at different levels of the game and had their life altered (the Dwyers and the Tuiakis of the world), that the game may have neglected until now. Kind of makes boycotting the game a little silly.

But yeah I agree, pull the pin on it because I am sick of hearing about it.

 

[TurnStyle]

You can't be serious?!?

Totally understand what your saying about Simon Dwyer and the Tank (plus others in the game) but Alex can't walk, can barely move his arms and you're "over this crap"!!!

Some people are beyond comprehension.

The above mentioned players that have had "career" ending injuries can still go and get a job and whilst Simon Dwyer has his own battles I can't believe you can be so dismissive about Alex's plight!!

This, it's one thing for a player to suffer an injury which means they can't play elite level Rugby League again, but Alex is 22 and may not walk again. It's not like the club can talk to a sponsor and set him up with a new job or even employ him within the club, if it is worst case scenario what can he actually do? He'd probably have to revamp his house as well.

Personally I admire his attitude and his resolve through the whole ordeal. I believe the fund being set up this week is not just for him but other players who have suffered serious injuries at different levels of the game and had their life altered (the Dwyers and the Tuiakis of the world), that the game may have neglected until now. Kind of makes boycotting the game a little silly.

But yeah I agree, pull the pin on it because I am sick of hearing about it.

both excellent posts. please excuse my levity in mine - i do understand it is a very serious issue.

i have to say that mckinnon seems like a pretty amazing young man. with what i have seen of his public appearances he is anything but bitter and twisted and has incredible fortitude.

he really is admirable and i wish him all the best in his journey back to walking again - which i believe he will do.*

what a great day that will be for him and his family.

*when it first happened i did some research (ie; google!) and there are examples of people having the same injury and walking again. it is the same in all of them with the very gradual progression of movement we are seeing with alex.

 

[Gary_Bakerloo]

to a guy who may never walk again.

He'll walk again.

 

[TurnStyle]

to a guy who may never walk again.

He'll walk again.

beat ya by 5 minutes GB! :wink:

on topic, just saw on foxsports someone stole a donation box for him from a mcdonalds?!!

wow, thats low!

http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/thief-steals-donation-box-raising-money-for-injured-newcastle-knights-star-alex-mckinnon/story-fn2mcuj6-1226993848438

 

[happy_tiger]

This is our "Lift for Liam " round

Lets show Liam Fulton how much we appreciate his ultimate dedication to our club and lift big time and get the win

 

[king_sirro]

'Rise for Alex' is an initiative by the people of Newcastle and those around him… It is not an NRL campaign, they are just supporting it.

I read on Facebook this morning that some Tiger Fans are going to boycott this weeks round in protest to the neglect of Simon etc... I found that an absolute disgrace!

So, if the people of Newcastle can garner support to the levels this is being driven, why havnt the people of Wests Tigers pushed through to ensure a similar campaign is in play for Simon?

Have we the fans failed him???

Really? Boycott games in protest. Sometimes the sickness of todays society makes me, well, sick.

For those who feel other injured players didnt receive the same help, does that mean things shouldnt change? The magnitude of this injury to Alex has brought many things to a head and i believe this will have a ripple effect down to help other players who suffer career ending injuries. But dont let that thought stop to cynics, after all, most cynics thrive on negativity.

Like Watto said, this is a campaign started by Newcastle that im sure the NRL has decided to support.

The motto "rise for Alex" isnt ironic in my opinion, it represents his goal, his fight. This young man has been given an opportunity to change the world. Whether thats just how injured players are looked after, or how great u can recover from such things, or the ability to raise more money and awareness to help those in the same situation. Whatever the result is, Alex will have a lasting effect on those of us with a heart, and those who suffer spinal injuries.

Alex Mckinnon has been offered $250 000 for an interview, and when he does that interview he is giving the money to a lady he just met who is going through something similar and has kids. Just giving a quarter of a million dollars away to a stranger. This young man is special and anyone who is "over this crap" or going to boycott games in protest are sad human beings.

I drive past where Alex is every day at Putney rehab and think of him everyday, i hope the support he receives never stops because i know what help he gets will benefit others because, thats what Alex will ensure.

 

[LCA]

Frankly, I'm over all this Rise for Alex crap.

I mean, i feel sorry for him and sincerely hope he can make a full recovery, and walk again as quickly as possible as wish him the best of luck. But the Tigers have lost 3 players to career ending injuries in the past 6 years, none of whom got any recognition other than perhaps a sentence in the odd article here or there in the couple of weeks immediately after it happened.

And then there are the many other examples i'm sure other clubs have where players have suffered serious injuries playing footy. No-one has ever got any help from the NRL, despite dedicating their lives to the sport, and having their careers tragically cut short and with little/no means to earn a living. Yet suddenly Alex gets a couple of tribute rounds, a nationally televised fundraising campaign and is featured regularly on every media outlet in the country.

It's just not a balanced reaction. The NRL is still the only professional sporting body in Australian the UK and the USA that doesn't have an insurance plan for its players. Most examples get pushed into the 'something to do later pile' but this kid gets a year long media circus.

I repeat that I do wish him well on his recovery journey, but the whole system wreaks of inequality and the NRL doing PR for a high profile case rather than consistently supporting their athletes!

I agree with this post ..

_Posted using RoarFEED V.4_

Congratulations for saying exactly what I believe. And, I sent an email to the NRL to that effect. I think it is outrageous that Simon Dwyer, for one, has not had the same response from the NRL, and said so in no uncertain terms in my email to them. Here is their response for all to read:

_Thanks for your email.\
\
It's great to hear from fans like yourself who share the same level of care and concern for player welfare as we do.\
\
The NRL is proud of the dedicated and qualified staff who work in Welfare and Education right across the game, and the support programs and services provided to the players. Both Club and NRL welfare staff are very proactive in assisting and following up players in relation to any challenges they face, including injury.\
\
When Simon suffered his injury, the NRL provided funding for him to undergo a TAFE course to pursue a new career.\
\
In our view, rather than simply providing money, we believe it is more beneficial to help people with a long-term career. Earlier this year, the NRL invited Simon to meet with our Welfare and Careers advisors to help him with that career.\
\
Simon was contracted to the Wests Tigers who continue to provide him work. He works with the club's sports science department and its Under 20s side. He has also had an assistant role with the City Origin team under coach Brad Fittler.\
\
The Wests Tigers, is holding a benefit night on Friday 1st August at Wests Leagues Club to raise money for Simon's needs, which the NRL is supporting.\
\
Access to 24-hour NRL-funded counselling is also available to Simon and his family.\
\
Thanks again for taking the time to write to us, and for your support of the game. Good luck with the Wests Tigers for the remainder of the season.\
\
Kind regards\
\
Brett
Supporter liaison_

 

[cochise]

All I can say is wow, I can not believe the attitude of some poster in this thread including the op. Alex suffered a broken neck, you do realise that is much worse than a broken ankle right. Tuiaki is one of my favourite ever players but would probably be embarrassed to be compared to Alex. I know Alex's family quite well and I can garantee you that this $ will not just go to Alex.

The NRL dropped the ball big time with Simon Dwyer but that doesn't mean they have to keep neglecting players into the future.