Cronulla Sharks captain Cameron McInnes has weighed in on striking a balance between player welfare and the gladiatorial nature of rugby league.
His comments come off the back of the release of an RLPA survey that revealed significant under-reporting of concussion symptoms among NRL and NRLW players.
The RLPA's “Players Pulse” survey painted a stark picture of how players navigate the pressures of professional rugby league while trying to protect their health.
More than a third of NRL players and almost half of NRLW players admitted to under-reporting concussion symptoms.
Even more concerning, 28% of male players and 40% of female players returned to training before receiving medical clearance - an alarming figure showing the challenge in aligning safety protocols with the realities of professional sport.
“It's not always easy. You've got young kids, you've got people fighting for the contracts, for the squads,” McInnes said of the highly competitive nature of professional rugby league while speaking at a press conference on Tuesday.
“Whilst you want everyone to be honest, I can also understand that when you've got food to put on the table, there are hard decisions people have to make.”
McInnes affirmed that the resilience aspect of the game is integral to its appeal.
“We still believe that gladiator aspect of our sport is something that we can never lose because that's what makes the sport great and that's what people want to watch and see,” he said.
But he also stressed the importance of education and making informed decisions about health.
“It's having the smarts to understand that if you are feeling certain symptoms, you've got to put your hand up and say it,” McInnes added.
The survey also highlighted a disparity in concussion management between training sessions and games.
While matches feature independent doctors to monitor head injuries, training sessions are less closely scrutinised, leaving room for improvement.
The RLPA is calling for increased safety measures, including changes to training protocols and the introduction of technology to monitor impacts.
Despite the NRL's mandated 11-day stand-down period for players diagnosed with a concussion, McInnes admitted that the pressures of professional rugby league can sometimes lead to players making choices they later regret.
“The game's working really hard, and it's up to us players to work with them,” he said.
“We want to play and it's not easy, but you just need to try and make the right decision. We've all got a future.”
Rugby league has to grapple with its primal need to preserve uncompromising physicality while safeguarding the health and well-being of its players.
For McInnes and other players, it's about finding a balance.
