Injury & Judiciary Reports

[andyrabbit]

It's kind of funny reading comments from fans thinking they are not only medical experts, but as if they're the players treating doctor as well.

 

[Prowsey]

With Campbell, my issue is not the conservative approach.

My issue was playing him busted for 20 weeks.

The conservative approach should have started in May, not October.

I think that's fair criticism - although it started in late August to be fair.

It's easy to say he should've gone for the surgery option immediately.

But all surgery is inherently risky - e.g. I read the other day about a bloke dropping dead after having a double knee replacement, from a pulmonary embolism - and should be seen as a last resort. Particularly the type of surgery that Campbell had to have in the end.

But having him bash himself stupid every week for the entire season was not a good look, I have to say.

Although we sometimes forget that players have agency in the injury management conversation too, and we don't know what was said behind closed doors to him.

And before people talk about needling. Players are needled almost every game from around week 10 or so (i.e. there are players getting needles to play across the comp). It's common.

 

[brend]

It’s also worth remembering the priority is to have the best chance of a full physical recovery to injury - not to just get them back onto a footy field quickly.

 

[Expfcwintergreen]

Hearing Campbell talk retrospectively about what he was going through to play each week with the sternum injury, I can’t come to any conclusion other than mismanagement. It was grim what he was doing to be right to play.

Players will tend to do anything to play. Medical staff have a duty to protect their long term health and safeguard players from themselves. Safe to say the club and Campbell are paying the price for how we handled his initial injury management.

 

[Prowsey]

It’s also worth remembering the priority is to have the best chance of a full physical recovery to injury - not to just get them back onto a footy field quickly.

Is it though?

I think most players would say - mid season - I want to get back asap.

And I think the High Performance team would be pressured to have the same mindset (although I don't know that to be clear).

I get what you're saying but I don't think players spend a lot of time thinking about their long term prognosis.

 

[Joe]

Why does everyone think surgery is the better option? From memory Sam’s shoulder surgery had a devastating impact when the screws became infected….
Humans are not cars, opening them up and cutting and screwing are not without risk and can make the situation worse…

 

[Callaway]

I think most players would say - mid season - I want to get back

And we were still a chance for semis with a couple to go

 

[Shauno]

Hearing Campbell talk retrospectively about what he was going through to play each week with the sternum injury, I can’t come to any conclusion other than mismanagement. It was grim what he was doing to be right to play.

Hard to argue with this point - that the conservative approach was correct, but keeping on playing him while busted was not correct (in hindsight).

 

[Brownrabbit]

Hearing Campbell talk retrospectively about what he was going through to play each week with the sternum injury, I can’t come to any conclusion other than mismanagement. It was grim what he was doing to be right to play.

100% it was and I posted as such about 1 month into his injury. My mate was one of the head medicos for the Wallabies we were discussing all things Rugby and NRL at a BBQ. He said straight up, that a sternum injury isn’t something he’d neddle for that length of time, a finals series for sure but not an entire season. He openly admits pushing a few boundaries to get players to play big games, but he said at the time if they plan to needle it for the rest of the year it will more than likely increase the severity of the injury and prolong recovery

Funny I was criticised for posting this at the time as taking another shot at the club. But it was another shot that was bang on

Players will tend to do anything to play.

Not all. As above Israel Folau was apparently notorious for not wanting to play injured. Pocock would play in a neck brace if allowed. Campbell Graham and Arrow are the same

Medical staff have a duty to protect their long term health and safeguard players from themselves. Safe to say the club and Campbell are paying the price for how we handled his initial injury management.

100%. I remember being highly critical of Seibold for not moving GI back to fullback for the finals. I was working at GIs place at the time and he was telling anyone who would listen he was fit enough to play back there

Last year I watched an interview with GI and he was saying how thankful he was of Seibs for protecting him from himself. He complained to his surgeon afterwards that he should have played fullback. The surgeon told him he has screws in his neck and was lucky to be walking let alone still playing and he owes Seibs for protecting him

Speaking with Campbells best mate a month or so back he said CG is a lunatic he would of played this season if he was asked to