Does rugby league take head injuries seriously?

 Last weekend, Ratu Naulago was sent to the sin bin for kicking the ball away and delaying a Salford 20-metre restart by around 5 seconds. 

This weekend, Ben Murdoch-Masila was sent to the sin bin for a shoulder charge which made direct contact with his opponent's head, rendering him unconscious, needing 10 minutes of on-field treatment and ultimately removing from the field on a spinal board, in a neck brace and in protective blocks.

Whether by accident or design, rugby league finds itself in a situation where we given equivalence to kicking a ball away to delay a restart and an attack to the head. As a rugby league fan, I find that difficult to justify. To explain that to someone who is not a rugby league fan would seem impossible.

From an outside perspective, the impression could be gained that rugby league is not concerned with head injuries. A systemic review of concussion in rugby league was published in 2014. It found that 39% of all injuries in rugby league were related to concussion.

Rugby league is a contact-heavy sport, but interestingly, the 2014 review found that concussion accounted for 29% of all injuries associated with illegal play, but 9% of injuries sustained in legal play. 

In my opinion, that shows that as a minimum, some concussion related injuries can be removed from the game by dissuading and adequately punishing foul play. Back to the incident last night, I am in no doubt that Ben Murdoch Masila had no intent to injure Matty English and did not mean to make contact with his head.

However, he raced into the tackle in a manner in which he could not control where the initial contact would be made. I would say in a reckless manner, others may disagree. The end result was a nasty collision and the potential for serious injury.

I was disappointed to see Ben Thaler show only a yellow card for the foul play. Especially as the video referee had several minutes to review the incident and offer assistance. It happened quickly and I can understand why Thaler may not have been sure of the point of contact. That excuse evaporates for the video referee.

I imagine that some of you reading this may be saying 'the game's gone soft' if that is a red card. That is an often uttered phrase when more severe punishments are called for. That is also far easier to say from your armchair than when you are on the end of a high tackle. From the removed position of a spectator, the human impact is easy to forget.

Take Stevie Ward for instance. The Leeds captain has not played since round 1 in early February due to persistent concussion symptoms. His coach Richard Agar told the press earlier this month that even light exercise is causing Ward to suffer from dizzy spells and light-headedness.

St Helens player Lance Hohaia retired in 2015, citing recurrent concussion symptoms, memory loss and several years after his retirement, continued to report suffering from the continued effects of concussion.

The former Australian test star Ian Roberts has been told that he has suffered scarring to the brain and told the BBC that his recollection has 'slowed down', his memory is not as sharp as it was and he struggled to learn lines for a play in his post-rugby career. The study that Roberts took part in showed that rugby league players are:

- 20% worse at motor skills;
- Have 15% slower reaction times:
- 122% worse at learning a novel task;
- 98% worse in working memory;
- 71% worse at maintaining concentration; and
- 76% have 'abnormal' brain responses.

What we must recognise too, is that the RFL have done plenty to reduce the natural risk that comes with rugby league. Extensive protocols are published on its website, the introduction of head injury assessments have been positive and punching has almost been eradicated from the sport. Yes, I know we may like the odd punch up now and again, but watching bare-knuckle fighting in a rugby match is not appealing to a casual viewer.

Despite this extensive progress, there is more to do. Arguably, the easiest thing to do, we have not done. Imposing on field sanctions and lengthy suspensions for attacks to the head, whether deliberate or not.

If concussion accounts for 29% of all injuries associated with illegal play (and 39% of all injuries), then it follows that serious sanctions for illegal play would reduce the risk of concussion. In turn, concussion injuries would reduce, the best players would get more game time, the game would be safer and have a wider appeal and we would have a sport of a higher quality.

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If you are interested in learning more about head injuries in rugby league, here are a few articles which were used for research purposes to create this blog:

Basic Charity - What's being done to prevent head injuries in rugby league?
'Rugby League gave me brain damage'
How Lance Hohaia reinvented himself as a real estate agent in Michigan
BMJ - A systemic review of concussion in rugby league
Shontayne Hape - My battle with concussion
Leeds skipper Stevie Ward still struggling with dizziness from head knock