Rules about injured players need revising

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33815, 11 April 1975, Page 22

Rules about injured players need revising

(By

JOHN COFFEY)

Rugby league administrators in Canterbury would do well to reappraise their rules regarding the treatment of in jured players while a match is in progress. The sight of a young and l I very promising premier foot-) I bailer staggering around the ■ Show Grounds oval in a ) seemingly concussed state ] during a club fixture on; Wednesday evening was a quite sickening spectacle to) the large crowd. Wayne O’Donnell, the Marist-Western Suburbs I stand-off half, was stunned in an extremely heavy tackling exchange and.knocked to the ground. He recovered his feet and tried to get back into position. O’Donnell fell 1 over at least five times as he) stumbled about 50 metres in a bid to retake his place ini the Marist defence. About two minutes went) by as possession changed; hands between Marist and! Addington, and O’Donnell did not receive treatment until a stoppage, occurred in play. Fortunately, he had not quite been able to reach the scene of the action, but had O’Donnell attempted to make another tackle he could have been seriously injured.

■ . The present laws do riot I allow for a referee to call a halt immediately that it is! evident a player has been hurt. No doubt the law was i framed with a mind to dissuading anyone from feign-; ling injury to give his side) time to reform and repoisition itself when its goali line was threatened. There

was certainly no suggestion of O’Donnell using delaying tactics; “Hollywoods” are for those with less courage.

In Australia team trainers have the right to- run on to the field to treat players as the match continues, on condition that they do not obstruct proceedings. This was introduced not- only to ensure that , injuries are dealt with promptly, but also to further increase the tempo of a game. If the injury is serious, the trainer can make the player as comfortable as possible until the game is stopped and additional attention given.

It may be that most club masseurs or trainers in Canterbury are not qualified to give such treatment, although St John Ambulance men at I premier and other matches would be able to give a quick and accurate diagnosis. SPEEDY RECOVERY Had such a rule been in use on Wednesday evening, it is certain that O’Donnell would not have been permitted to try and play on until he had been examined. As it was, he recovered speedily and was mainly responsible for his side’s win—but a second forceful tackle, in those vital two minutes might well have had unfortunate consequences.

The Canterbury Rugby League .would have nothing to lose by consulting its St

John Ambulance attendants on the matter. If permission to assist players was later extended to club masseurs they should be required to undergo the necessary medical course and examination to qualify.