NRL’s biggest stars could be asked to provide history of concussion before signing next deal

The future earnings of the biggest names in the game could be impacted by a push from clubs who want the concussion history of every player before signing them.

Kalyn Ponga leaves the field for an HIA during round 2.

Clubs want the concussion history of every player they are trying to recruit - the first sign that the $1 million salaries of players with repeated head knocks will start to come down.

The future earnings of the biggest names in the game could be impacted, including Cameron Murray, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Luke Keary, Kalyn Ponga, Ryan Matterson and Victor Radley, all recipients of repeated concussions in recent seasons.

However, it’s the game’s rising stars that could be forced to sacrifice the most with the NRL’s new mandatory stand-down for concussions just the beginning for an increasingly over-protective governing body.

This column has spoken to almost half of the competitions club CEO’s and general manager’s of football.

Victor Radley after a head knock in round 1. Picture: NRL Images

Every one of them have indicated the value of players with a history of concussion will need to be reassessed.

Almost every club requests a medical report on a player before signing them.

But historically, the report is used to assess the severity of issues more common with footballers, including shoulders, knees and back.

Wanting detail surrounding the number of concussions, up until now, has been hit and miss.

Players have been known to hide their history of head knocks from a potential suitor.

Similar to the desire from most clubs to know the illicit drug history of a player before signing them - which has so far proven fruitless - clubs now want the NRL to provide any concussion information of a player that they have been supplied by every club doctor.

If there is a greater risk of a player missing games under the NRL’s new mandatory concussion stand down, clubs want to factor that into any prospective salary.

The potentially huge shift in how much club’s pay their players has emerged in the wake of the NRL’s new 11-day mandatory stand down rule.

Under the new concussion laws, clubs have the opportunity to apply for exemptions to the mandatory 11-day stand-down period provided the player passes a review from an independent neurological expert appointed by the NRL.

The exemption application will only be allowed if the player passes a strict criteria including showing no category one symptoms, being asymptomatic the day after the concussion and cognitive testing returns to normal.

Cameron Murray looks dazed after a tackle.

The criteria also ensures players applying for an exemption have had less than five previous concussions, no previous concussions in the past three months and no history of a prior concussion having a prolonged recovery.

It was literally within minutes of the NRL announcing their new mandatory stand-down period for concussions last week that a GM of football was on the phone discussing how he would view the value of a player with a history of head knocks in a different light.

“Every club will,” the GM of football said.

“If they don’t, well, they’re not doing their due diligence.

“We request a medical report of every player we sign and concussions will become a part of that report.

“Given the new concussion laws, you’d be naive not to think that a player with a history of concussions could suddenly be worth less.’’

The question is worth debating, what would Ponga, currently sidelined by a round two head knock, be worth on the open market right now?

Would he be worth his current $1.2 million salary?

Could players be worth less due to their concussion history? Picture: NRL Images

The issue is simmering within club land to the point where club bosses have begun discussing forming a salary cap dispensation proposal to the NRL which can be used when a player is sidelined for an extended period due to concussion.

While overwhelmingly supportive of the need to put the welfare of players first, clubs claim the new laws impact the salary cap, unlike a normal “injury.”

The argument is, that unlike a knee or shoulder injury, which players can play on with, the game doesn’t police how long a player with a knee or shoulder injury, is sidelined for.

The management of concussions and how quickly a player can return to the field is mandated by the NRL, not determined by the clubs.

Players being forced to take less money for sitting on the sidelines isn’t unheard of in the world of sports.

In the NFL, players with an injury-plagued career have in the past accepted a clause to be paid less should they end up on the injured reserve list.

Originally published as NRL’s biggest stars could be asked to provide history of concussion before signing next deal