National Forum

Player Welfare

(Oldest Posts First)

Every week we see players getting hurt on the field of play. Only to see a couple of trainers run out onto the field put a bag of ice or spray on the injury and send them on their way. A belt or a twisted ankle are one thing what concerns me is a belt to the head where the Doctor or trainer looks into the players eyes for a few minutes asks them a question or two and again sends them on their way. After hearing the effects of head injuries in all sports how is this still happening? If a player gets hit ton the extent that a doctor has to make sure the player know his name or where he is doesn't it make sense that player leaves the field for a proper examination? The player should be brought to the sideline a concussion protocol should be in place, and given by a doctor independent of either team playing, if the player passes the proper examination he can go back in the game. This would ensure the players safety.

gatha (Kilkenny) - Posts: 318 - 29/01/2020 13:10:17    2263488

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Replying To gatha:  "Every week we see players getting hurt on the field of play. Only to see a couple of trainers run out onto the field put a bag of ice or spray on the injury and send them on their way. A belt or a twisted ankle are one thing what concerns me is a belt to the head where the Doctor or trainer looks into the players eyes for a few minutes asks them a question or two and again sends them on their way. After hearing the effects of head injuries in all sports how is this still happening? If a player gets hit ton the extent that a doctor has to make sure the player know his name or where he is doesn't it make sense that player leaves the field for a proper examination? The player should be brought to the sideline a concussion protocol should be in place, and given by a doctor independent of either team playing, if the player passes the proper examination he can go back in the game. This would ensure the players safety."
It has long been established that the procedure you described is not adequate to establish a concussion. Any bang to the head demands the player should be sent to a quiet room and assessed for a period of time before allowed to return or not to the game.

Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 2660 - 29/01/2020 14:11:40    2263505

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There should be at nearly all levels in the GAA a policy of if in doubt sit it out whereby if you think a player might be concussed they are removed from the pitch and a sub comes on

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3510 - 29/01/2020 17:13:35    2263557

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Not nearly enough is being done, should be zero tolerance of coaches who abuse players in this way. Only a qualified medical person should be allowed make these decisions and then at least someone is wholly accountable. It will only take one serious injury for the cat to be thrown among the pigeons.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4896 - 31/01/2020 10:27:44    2263938

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Replying To arock:  "Not nearly enough is being done, should be zero tolerance of coaches who abuse players in this way. Only a qualified medical person should be allowed make these decisions and then at least someone is wholly accountable. It will only take one serious injury for the cat to be thrown among the pigeons."
100%, I remember watching a club game last year where a player was clearly concussed and the coaches took him off to assess him and within minutes of asking the player could he continue he was back on the pitch. When he came back on it was clear he did not have a clue what was going on (extremely difficult to watch)

it was only after 5 minutes or so of the clubs supporters absolutely appalled at the management that the player was then again removed and brought to hospital. Someone will be seriously hurt one day and when that day comes it will already be too late.

There should be no chances taken with head injuries

boman11 (Antrim) - Posts: 237 - 31/01/2020 11:13:16    2263943

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Replying To arock:  "Not nearly enough is being done, should be zero tolerance of coaches who abuse players in this way. Only a qualified medical person should be allowed make these decisions and then at least someone is wholly accountable. It will only take one serious injury for the cat to be thrown among the pigeons."
And even then at most levels of the game a player with suspected concussion shouldn't return even with say so of a medic...
Only at the top levels where there is doc at every game should it happen other than that it should be if in doubt sit it out and If concussion is confirmed players go through full return to play protocols which should be more like they are in rugby which is 21/23 days which I dont think gaa do who do much shorter timeframes

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3510 - 31/01/2020 20:17:33    2264065

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Great game yesterday between Tipp and Cork, fast paced, great skill shown by both teams. As far as welfare of players. 2 times players, one from each team, got shoulders to the head and nothing was done. I believe 1 player got a yellow card the other went unpunished. Safety has to fall on the referee also. This is the same ref that did not penalize Coooper's hit on Richie Hogan in last years 1/4 final. Head injuries are incredibly dangerous everyone has to be involved in stopping them.

gatha (Kilkenny) - Posts: 318 - 02/02/2020 14:54:26    2264458

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Replying To boman11:  "100%, I remember watching a club game last year where a player was clearly concussed and the coaches took him off to assess him and within minutes of asking the player could he continue he was back on the pitch. When he came back on it was clear he did not have a clue what was going on (extremely difficult to watch)

it was only after 5 minutes or so of the clubs supporters absolutely appalled at the management that the player was then again removed and brought to hospital. Someone will be seriously hurt one day and when that day comes it will already be too late.

There should be no chances taken with head injuries"
That's ridiculous. The club should be sanctioned for something like that happening.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4221 - 02/02/2020 15:39:03    2264463

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Replying To boman11:  "100%, I remember watching a club game last year where a player was clearly concussed and the coaches took him off to assess him and within minutes of asking the player could he continue he was back on the pitch. When he came back on it was clear he did not have a clue what was going on (extremely difficult to watch)

it was only after 5 minutes or so of the clubs supporters absolutely appalled at the management that the player was then again removed and brought to hospital. Someone will be seriously hurt one day and when that day comes it will already be too late.

There should be no chances taken with head injuries"
That is appalling you would like to think they would sanctioned, that guy was in no state to decide anything.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4896 - 02/02/2020 18:38:57    2264559

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Replying To arock:  "Not nearly enough is being done, should be zero tolerance of coaches who abuse players in this way. Only a qualified medical person should be allowed make these decisions and then at least someone is wholly accountable. It will only take one serious injury for the cat to be thrown among the pigeons."
I don't any medic, making a decision on the sideline or in a dressing room, would accept being 'wholly accountable'.

neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 02/02/2020 18:55:06    2264574

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I agree totally. Chances cannot be taken with head injuries;
but are we willing to really protect players and sanction any hit to the head by hand, fist, elbow, shoulder, arm or leg with a red card. Are we serious enough to do that? When a ref does we hear the usual, 'it was only a yellow', or 'that was harsh', or 'the ref has destroyed the game' or the nonsense that 'in my day, blah blah blah'..
Player welfare should be paramount, players and refs and administrators need to take responsibility and pundits and commentators should learn about brain injury, which is what concussion is.

Mayfair (Galway) - Posts: 65 - 02/02/2020 19:06:40    2264585

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there is more to players welfare than hard knocks , dirty play has to be cut out , but referees have to be fair and consistent and treat all players the same. Some big name players get away with dirty cynical play by most referees. With the way the League has started this year nearly all teams especially Dublin, Kerry ,Donegal are playing all their first team players from the start , and these players will still have to be going full throttle at the end of August, not the way to treat amateur players.

culmore (None) - Posts: 1398 - 02/02/2020 20:23:37    2264635

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Replying To gatha:  "Great game yesterday between Tipp and Cork, fast paced, great skill shown by both teams. As far as welfare of players. 2 times players, one from each team, got shoulders to the head and nothing was done. I believe 1 player got a yellow card the other went unpunished. Safety has to fall on the referee also. This is the same ref that did not penalize Coooper's hit on Richie Hogan in last years 1/4 final. Head injuries are incredibly dangerous everyone has to be involved in stopping them."
You're right , but when Hogan got sent off in the All Ireland final you had plenty of complaints about Barrett staying down and how it wasn't a red. Similar stuff over the weekend when Flynn got the line v Dublin.
Analysts never see a need for a red and are part of the problem.

catch22 (USA) - Posts: 2148 - 03/02/2020 08:22:39    2264728

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Replying To catch22:  "You're right , but when Hogan got sent off in the All Ireland final you had plenty of complaints about Barrett staying down and how it wasn't a red. Similar stuff over the weekend when Flynn got the line v Dublin.
Analysts never see a need for a red and are part of the problem."
This thread has nothing to do with the All- Ireland but since you bring it up maybe if a player knew he was going to be examined he wouldn't be rolling around on the ground trying to get someone put off. If he is really hurt he won't get up but if he isn't, he will instead of going off the field for 15 or 20 minutes.Tommy Walsh in 2009, JJ Delaney in 2012 and Richie Hogan last year got dirty belts and they all got right back up. I hate seeing a player laying on the ground and soon as the card is given they are up going full speed. Richie Leahy was put off last week for a head challenge never heard a word of complaint.

gatha (Kilkenny) - Posts: 318 - 03/02/2020 13:10:56    2264836

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Replying To gatha:  "This thread has nothing to do with the All- Ireland but since you bring it up maybe if a player knew he was going to be examined he wouldn't be rolling around on the ground trying to get someone put off. If he is really hurt he won't get up but if he isn't, he will instead of going off the field for 15 or 20 minutes.Tommy Walsh in 2009, JJ Delaney in 2012 and Richie Hogan last year got dirty belts and they all got right back up. I hate seeing a player laying on the ground and soon as the card is given they are up going full speed. Richie Leahy was put off last week for a head challenge never heard a word of complaint."
Of course it's not about the All Ireland but it's relevant to the player welfare discussion, don't you think or maybe you just prefer references to Kilkenny players whereby you deem them to be hard done by.
If a player gets hit and goes down " rolling around " as you put it , they may well be hurt and have been hit in a manner deemed punishable by a red but able to continue after treatment.
It does however seem that people want to look for any way possible to allow the culprit to escape being put off. You don't have to be trying to get anyone sent off. That's purely cynical towards the victim and a negative approach towards player welfare.

catch22 (USA) - Posts: 2148 - 03/02/2020 13:48:42    2264851

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Replying To catch22:  "Of course it's not about the All Ireland but it's relevant to the player welfare discussion, don't you think or maybe you just prefer references to Kilkenny players whereby you deem them to be hard done by.
If a player gets hit and goes down " rolling around " as you put it , they may well be hurt and have been hit in a manner deemed punishable by a red but able to continue after treatment.
It does however seem that people want to look for any way possible to allow the culprit to escape being put off. You don't have to be trying to get anyone sent off. That's purely cynical towards the victim and a negative approach towards player welfare."
If they are well hurt they should go off for a proper examination that is my point.

gatha (Kilkenny) - Posts: 318 - 03/02/2020 15:31:08    2264889

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Replying To gatha:  "If they are well hurt they should go off for a proper examination that is my point."
And a valid point you have. It is important to protect the player that is genuinely injured and if that can be done while also helping to eliminate feigning injury from our games it would be a bonus. A mandatory 5 or 10 minutes off the field medical assessment for ever player who goes down injured would achieve that.

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1903 - 04/02/2020 19:00:17    2265180

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Plenty of feigning injury going on and that is a blight on the GAA. Just because a lads neck being examined, it is sometimes to get a player sent off.
Also some players duck into tackles, and go down like a ton of bricks holding their head. Hold your head up and you won't get a high-tackle. Referees need to start calling this out.

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 1732 - 05/02/2020 11:45:37    2265320

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