CHRIS Brookes has seen more reasons than most why rugby league’s controversial new regulations are needed – from both sides of the fence.
Speak to some fans and lowering tackle height to below the armpit and restricting the amount of time a player can be on the pitch in a 12-month period is the death of the 13-a-side code.
Rugby league is introducing a raft of changes to reduce the risk of concussion and other head injuriesSWPIX.COM
But Professor Brookes has seen what impacts to the head can do, both on a pitch and the wards of Salford Royal Hospital.
And those experiences have seen him help spearhead the moves to make the game safer for players’ brain health.
The man who is now Wigan’s chairman, after 28 years as their club doctor, while also being England’s, said: “It’s been hugely influential in my work in rugby league.
“I’ve always had a particular interest in brain trauma – that’s why I went to work at Salford.
“And the expert knowledge there and research being done round brain health has led my passion to translate that into everyday support and impact within rugby league to make the game safer.
“I think the current cohort of players is very aware of these matters – they want to prolong their careers, of course, but uppermost in their minds is also their brain health.
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“Players are in the same place as us currently on this journey as they take note of the evidence – but there’s a leadership issue and I’m very aware of that because of the change at my own club.
“There’s something about the quality of the product and clubs want to protect their assets but clubs and the game have to show leadership.
“It’s really important that as we move forward, we’re very explicit about why we’re doing this.”
Despite denials, many see these new regulations as rugby League’s response to a legal case brought by former players that could bankrupt it.
New Wigan chairman Professor Chris Brookes has helped lead the research that led to the changesSWPIX.COM
While the Rugby Football League is leading the study and data, while being the first to introduce the measures, the NRL – which does not have a legal threat currently – is also working on a similar scheme.
International Rugby League chiefs are also fully up to date on the figures, including how a trial of lower tackle heights reduced concussion rates from 25 per 1,000 tackles to 22.
And this could be in hand with a medical breakthrough.
Like American Football, dementia and chronic trauma encephalopathy (CTE) are some of the effects being cited in legal papers affecting both codes.
Professor Brookes says his passion in researching brain trauma has crossed into his work in rugby leagueSWPIX.COM
As things stand, that is only diagnosed after death but Professor Brookes, who worked in the NHS for 40 years, revealed his now former workplace – a specialist centre in the north west – is working on getting it spotted sooner.
He added: “The Holy Grail is is there a way those who played the game, who’ve retired, can have some form of assessment that gives an indication there might be an issue?
“Some of the research that’s being done at Salford Royal is looking at specific MR scans whereby there might be a change in the brain barrier which will give an early pointer.
“That’s the space we all need to be working in.”
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