Beau Ryan is the latest former NRL star to voice support for retired NRL players amidst the CBA dramas that have left players on the verge of striking.
Under the current CBA agreement, players have just 12 months to have surgery or rehabilitation paid for following their retirement.
Joe Galuvao, Eric Grothe Jr and Jason Stevens all took to social media to detail the injuries they've suffered after retiring from the NRL, showing first-hand just how dire things can get after walking away from professional sport.
Ryan is another who has experienced the horrors of serious injuries after his playing career was cut short due to a neck injury.
“I've spoken to a few of the guys I used to play with 10 years ago whose bodies have broken down for different reasons – one needs a knee replacement and the other needs a brain scan,” Ryan told NCA NewsWire.
“At the moment, these guys are only covered for 12 months to get surgery after they stop playing, but sometimes your body doesn't feel the full effects until two, three, four years after you've stopped playing.”
“I was just talking to (ex-All Blacks player) Dan Carter and his body feels good, but I wasn't as lucky and had to retire early because of a neck injury.”
“I was fortunate because I had a media role that I could step into, but that's not a luxury everyone else has.”
Rugby League and injury horror stories have gone hand-in-hand for a long period of time. This is the reason the current playing group is desperate to secure adequate support and funding in the new CBA deal which has been delayed for months.
“You hear people saying the players want more money, but it's not about that. The players aren't being greedy,” Ryan said.
“They're trying to protect themselves and future generations from what guys have gone through for the past 40 years.”
“It's a tough sport, and sure they get paid well, but the retirement fund and the post-footy fund needs a lot of attention because there are lots of people struggling for a number of reasons.”
“There are a lot of people whose careers were cut short, and while some people have been able to stay in the game, others haven't been so lucky.”
“I think the game has a responsibility to not only protect players, but to also provide them with a safety net to help them when they do retire to get back on their feet.”