Not quite, though I think it should be. It is dependent on the congnitive test results.

For those harping on about illegal tackles or otherwise, it is the tackler's responsibility to avoid contact with the head and neck. It doesn't matter if the arm is swirling like a windmill, contact around the head and neck is illegal, regardless of how it comes about.

Think it's 7 days, which would mean his season's over unless we beat Cas.

He looks more like Ryan Atkins!!!

I thought that too....

Gonna be nice and painful to shave for a while.

I think a mention should be made of the physio/trainer who rushed to Matty's aid so swiftly and all those who do a similar job across the divisions week in week out.

I did notice that they are more "geared up" and alert to the potential for serious injuries. It was Michael Monaghan's SECOND flattening that I noticed where the trainer/physio rushed on to the field towards him, only to stop and return to the dug out when he slowly stood up and got back the ten. These guys now have their eyes trained on the pitch ready to pounce at the first sign of a player in trouble.

Hats off to them



Are these the backroom staff who are departing?

Matty's incident aside, the stiff-arm high tackle on Chris Bridge by Flynn (that went unpunished) was equally horrific.

The worst part for me was how both Flynn and Clarke were laughing and grinning from ear to ear after Thaler had spoken to them; both knowing nothing further was to come of it. Poor Chris was still being treated on the ground.

Bridge was obviously NOT match fit, but still played a blinder. His solo warm-up at half time spoke volumes

I normally think a week off does a team no good, but I think a week off would do Bridgey some good next weekend. We'll need him though! Hope he's alright again.

In the interview afterwards he said that there is nothing wrong its just tight muscles and thought he would stretch them at half time to stop him siezing up.
Fit to play !!

www1.skysports.com/rugby-league

www1.skysports.com/rugby-league

Green light for thuggery to put players in hospital. Well done the RFL.

More tactics for Wane to coach his lads

ohh dear

Quote ="mark_m"Green light for thuggery to put players in hospital. Well done the RFL.'" "Agreed Mark"..... www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -neck.html If i were a player from any club, i would be very concerned at the total lack of regard for player safety shown by the RFL over recent weeks, (not just the Russell incident), if they dont pull their heads from up their backsides soon, it will only be a matter of time before we are talking about this happening to a British player. My son has just started playing full contact rugby league and unfortunately i am finding myself seriously questioning if it is a wise thing for me to keep him involved in the sport.

Quote ="mark_m"Green light for thuggery to put players in hospital. Well done the RFL.'" "Agreed Mark"..... www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -neck.html If i were a player from any club, i would be very concerned at the total lack of regard for player safety shown by the RFL over recent weeks, (not just the Russell incident), if they dont pull their heads from up their backsides soon, it will only be a matter of time before we are talking about this happening to a British player. My son has just started playing full contact rugby league and unfortunately i am finding myself seriously questioning if it is a wise thing for me to keep him involved in the sport.

Quote ="the fucitolbladderwrack""Agreed Mark"..... www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -neck.html If i were a player from any club, i would be very concerned at the total lack of regard for player safety shown by the RFL over recent weeks, (not just the Russell incident), if they dont pull their heads from up their backsides soon, it will only be a matter of time before we are talking about this happening to a British player. My son has just started playing full contact rugby league and unfortunately i am finding myself seriously questioning if it is a wise thing for me to keep him involved in the sport. '" Personally i understand your concern but incidents like that rarely happen and never have the same impact at young children's age, accidents can happen and just make sure they are protected. End of the day rugby league is a contact sport and it was hardly deliberate.

Quote ="the fucitolbladderwrack""Agreed Mark"..... www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -neck.html If i were a player from any club, i would be very concerned at the total lack of regard for player safety shown by the RFL over recent weeks, (not just the Russell incident), if they dont pull their heads from up their backsides soon, it will only be a matter of time before we are talking about this happening to a British player. My son has just started playing full contact rugby league and unfortunately i am finding myself seriously questioning if it is a wise thing for me to keep him involved in the sport. '" Personally i understand your concern but incidents like that rarely happen and never have the same impact at young children's age, accidents can happen and just make sure they are protected. End of the day rugby league is a contact sport and it was hardly deliberate.

Don't worry I have been coaching junior rugby for fifteen years and the worst injuries have been a couple of broken collar bones

However with what I have seen in the professional game of late it seems as though player safety is increasingly at risk due to what is being coached, the increasing size of players and the weak officials.

I played Rugby League all my life and had my career ended by by an ill timed clumsy head high shot, resulting in a shattered neck at C5 - C6, severe compression of my spinal column, damaged nerves causing total loss of feeling in my left arm. It took hours of re-building, bone grafts and plenty of metal plates and screws etc, but thanks to Mr Shackleford, at least i was still here to have a son. so yes, maybe currently it "Rarely Happens" as you say, but that doesnt make you feel any better when you wake up in that hospital bed wondering if you will walk again, i can assure you of that mate. One thing is for sure though, if the RFL dont start putting players welfare "FIRST", you will start seeing injuries such as this more often, thats a definite!

Agreed past certain age groups but at the mini and junior levels the game is safe. Problems start with increasing size and strength.

well i am sorry to hear that and i wouldn't wish that on anybody but can i ask what age group was that? because even under 16's the body and collision are rarely heavy enough to cause that much damage. I know Johnny Lomax got a bad injury bleeding on the brain i believe at a young age but that happened the only match he wasn't wearing a head guard.

Agreed Mark, but kids will progress out of the junior level and i am finding myself questioning how i would feel if he ended up in the same situation as myself, when i was the one that actually introduced him to rugby league as a kid in the first place. The RLF need to grow a pair and stamp this out of our game Now before on of our players, (from whatever club), spends the rest of their lives drinking through a straw!

Yes it was playing Open Age, but it was also a daft, clumsy and in no way hard head high tackle, what people dont understand, (and back then i included myself), is how damn easy it is for someones neck to snap/shatter, the neck in the wrong position, not expecting the hit etc, i still wince and expect the worse every time a player receives a hit such as Russells. So dont delude yourselves in to thinking it can only happen when players reach a certain age, it can happen to anyone at any time and thats why player safety MUST be paramount at all times, regardless of age/level.

It can of course but my point was aimed at the worry of your children getting severely injured. Rugby league is a contact sport and severely banning a professional or amateur for a accident isn't right. There is only so much protection rules can give and every player and parent knows the risk and its the same with any sport, by the way i wouldn't be arguing if it wasn't a clear accident but it was.

Well only you and your son can decide, me and all three if my sons played or still play and middle son has just signed for Warrington and he loves the game too much to ever quit (and he has had a few bad injuries already).

Totally agree though that the RFL should do much more to protect the players and any player seen to be attempting to injure a fellow professional should get a very lengthy ban. And referees who cannot control a game likewise.

"Bang On Mark"!