Every time the Rugby League World Cup comes to England, the same controversy arises over the small in-goal areas in their stadiums.
It occurred in 2013, when Luke Lewis dislocated his shoulder in St Helens, and it's happening again after James Tedesco collided with a BBC camera after attempting to stop Fiji's opening try on Sunday morning.
Tedesco avoided injury in Leed's Headingley Stadium, but it almost feels inevitable that someone will get hurt.
Nowย The Daily Telegraph is reporting that legal professionals and NRL clubs have some major concerns about player welfare, to the point that the RLWC organisers could be liable for over $1 million.
โThe players at the World Cup are like thoroughbreds. It would be the equivalent of having a concrete barrier two metres past the finish post at Randwick. The loss of earnings and potential earnings could amount to (litigation worth) more than $1m,โ Sydney solicitor Paul McGirr told The Daily Telegraph.
โIt's the great elephant in the room which is being ignored with the attitude of: โit will be right'. Whoever is hosting the tournament is opening themselves up to the real potential of litigation if someone suffers a serious injury which prematurely ends their career.
โIt's an obvious problem that is being ignored and no-one wants to address it because it would mean possibly moving games from those stadiums.
โI'm surprised there hasn't been any injuries to date but certainly if there were, the stadiums and the game owe a duty of care, particularly given it's a collision sport where the aim of the game is to knock somebody off balance.
โThey want to host these games at these particular stadiums that aren't originally designed for rugby league.โ
McGirr's point is a true one. While Headingley Stadium is home of the Leed's Rhinos and is a rugby league stadium St. James' Park, where the opening match between England and Samoa was played, is not, it's a football stadium home to Newcastle United.
And Newcastle is just one of the grounds not designed for the sport, and many others will be used later in the tournament.
Of course, Tedesco, as mentioned earlier, almost got injured on the safer ground, and that is due to England's traditionally shorter in-goals which will make nearly every stadium a safety hazard.
Clubs are also growing concerned with Canberra Raiders CEO Don Furner being very weary of seeing a player get injured because of these issues.
โWe are definitely mindful of it when watching the games and would hate to see a player be injured and be out for a period of time,โ Furner told The Daily Telegraph.
โIt has always been the case over there. Their dead ball areas are tiny. You would think they would have padding right around that area.โ
At this stage, no such litigation is being laid or planned, but the prospect is genuine, and with a lot of games to be played and many stars playing, the organisers are sure to be biting their nails.
