Rhino, Jude and those head knocks

[sWAns63]

Not dropped.......... a rest

[rojo]

Not dropped.......... a rest

I know, I was just being sarcastic in my previous post. I was one of the ones who shouted into cyberspace, please, please force Jude to rest this week (week after the Brissy game). But no one out there was listening!

[lwoggardner]

I think we've got this all wrong. If I look at the 2005 finals series and the game earlier this year Jude in particular played brilliantly AFTER he was concussed.

So if we are concerned with on-field performance the obvious solution is to give the boys a whack in the head coming up the race, pop the helmet on and she'll be apples.

Of course if we are worried about their welfare then perhaps we should just give them a week off.

[Nich]

On the flipside, maybe the Cheese needs a bout of concussion to get himself back on track.

[Big Al]

I have a wild suggestion. Could it be they're just out of form. I know we like to attribute reasons for things happening but sometimes it's just a simple case of blokes not playing well at the moment.

[dimelb]

I think we've got this all wrong. If I look at the 2005 finals series and the game earlier this year Jude in particular played brilliantly AFTER he was concussed.

So if we are concerned with on-field performance the obvious solution is to give the boys a whack in the head coming up the race, pop the helmet on and she'll be apples.

Of course if we are worried about their welfare then perhaps we should just give them a week off.

I'm reminded of the English soccer coach, I think Alex Ferguson, who was told one of his players was concussed and didn't know who he was. His reply: tell him he's Pele and send him on.

[aardvark]

I have a wild suggestion. Could it be they're just out of form. I know we like to attribute reasons for things happening but sometimes it's just a simple case of blokes not playing well at the moment.

Hey Al thats just not fair using common sense on here. I got a head knock in 1972, Haven't been the same since so its obviously the problem.

[mcs]

On the flipside, maybe the Cheese needs a bout of concussion to get himself back on track.

Sadly I think it would take more than a single bout of concussion to get Cheese back on track.

[Jesse Richards]

So, taking the above recommendations into account plus the AFL guidelines, it was perfectly okay for Jude to return to the field after his first knock to the head v. Brisbane, and perfectly okay for both he and ROK to play the next week after being concussed. Which means that it is purely co-incidental that Jude, ROK and also Jordan Lewis have not been playing to their previous form ever since!!!!!!!!!!!! It is a bit ironic for someone to now suggest Jude be dropped due to poor form, too slow, too old etc. Like everyone else, I hope they all get back to their best soon.

That's one interpretation. But
1) We do not know that Kennelly, ROK and Jude were symptom free during the week after
2) If their poor performance since the concussions is regarded as symptomatic of the concussions then they shouldn't play next week and not until they are back to their usual form - if they can ever recover it - and their injury is not long term. Nor should they have played the following week. Blind Freddy could see that ROK could not kick straight, fumbled and was not himself. Nor did Jude look right, though he did tackle.

I could go on about Hall exhibiting similar symptoms last year - and brain snaps can be a result of head trauma - he was into boxing, as we know. The other factor rarely mentioned in sporting circles, but is in the medical literature, is the risk of even mild alcohol use in the weeks following the concussion = increased risk of internal bleeding in the brain. Alcohol is a known vaso-dilator.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Jude and ROK are still suffering from the effects of their concussion.

[liz]

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Jude and ROK are still suffering from the effects of their concussion.

How can there be no doubt when you have zero access to information about their actual - as opposed to perceived - physical condition? It is just as plausible that they are suffering other physical soreness unrelated to the head issues. ROK has taken 4 (at least) significant "hits" to his body in the last month, each of which might be causing him discomfort.

Or as Big Al points out, maybe they are just a bit down on form.

[Jesse Richards]

I repeat, there is no doubt IN MY MIND. This is my opinion. That's why I worded it that way. Of course there may be other contributing factors. But, I repeat, again, there is no doubt in my mind that Jude and ROK are still suffering from the effects of their concussion. The extent is debatable.

[Big Al]

Rhino, Jude and those head knocks

I repeat, there is no doubt IN MY MIND. This is my opinion. That's why I worded it that way. Of course there may be other contributing factors. But, I repeat, again, there is no doubt in my mind that Jude and ROK are still suffering from the effects of their concussion. The extent is debatable.

What concerns me with this is that your basically saying that our medical staff are being negligent with our players. If a guy of Nathan Gibbs experience and integrity clears these players then that's enough for me. For you to say that you have no doubt when you aren't their doctor and do not have access to all the facts is just plain stubborn.

[Big Al]

Rhino, Jude and those head knocks

Hey Al thats just not fair using common sense on here. I got a head knock in 1972, Haven't been the same since so its obviously the problem.

LOL... You know I got concussion the day before I joined RWO. I'm starting to see a pattern here.

[Big Al]

Rhino, Jude and those head knocks

Sadly I think it would take more than a single bout of concussion to get Cheese back on track.

Wrong part of the anatomy mcs, Cheese just needs a good kick up the ....

[RogueSwan]

Surely the doc can order them to wear headgear as a precaution for one week if they don't then oust them for a week if they ditch the head gear during the game and get concussed again then enforce the week ban at least you're making some effort to protect the player.

I don't think head gear actually protects the brain. The brain is still free to bang against the inside of the skull, head gear or not.
Head gear probably really only protects the skull and gives the player a bit more confidence to put their head over the ball.