Claims AFLW injuries will create ‘public health disaster’

ONE of sport’s biggest player agents has reignited the gender war by claiming long-term brain damage and family breakdown will result from women becoming concussed while playing footy.

ONE of sport’s biggest player agents has reignited the gender war by claiming long-term brain damage and family breakdown will result from women becoming concussed while playing footy under the same rules as men.

In a controversial interview with News Corp, AFL player manager Peter Jess warned concussion in female footy players would lead to “an intergenerational nightmare” and “public health disaster” of mothers not being able to remember their children’s names and forgetting to pick them up from school.

Cora Staunton of GWS comes off with a facial injury after trying to tackle Sophie Casey of the Magpies. Picture: Getty Images

“We don’t know how it (repeated concussions) presents in women but if it’s the same as in men we have the possibility of mothers and carers in their 30s and 40s who are entering the early stage of behavioural issues and have a whole range of cognition issues. It could be absolutely horrific,” Jess said. “It is going to be an intergenerational nightmare. It is going to be an intergenerational public health disaster. . . . I pleaded with the AFL to get it right before they launched it (the AFLW).”

MORE: Warning that women playing footy could lead to ‘catastrophic’ injuries

AFL player manager Peter Jess warns concussion in female footy players could lead to “an intergenerational nightmare”.

Captain of the Greater Western Sydney Giants and schoolteacher, Amanda Farrugia, said she thought the comments were “extreme” and “went a bit too far”, as rules were already in place to protect the heads of both women and men when playing footy.

While she supported moves to make football as safe as practically possible for all players, it was impossible to remove all risk of concussion or other physical injury from any sport, including footy, she said.

Jess - who is leading the charge for legal action by past AFL players who have allegedly developed neurological impairments due to on-field concussions - said he wrote to the league in 2016 before the launch of the AFLW and warned serious, long-term health implications would result from women playing footy under the same rules as men.

Research showed women were more prone to concussions in contact sports and took longer to recover from them than men, he said.

They were also more likely to suffer orthopaedic injuries.

“If we now have a new brand; women who are going to be playing collision based sport at an underage level, that will create a whole new prism of damage,” Jess said.

In male players, repeated head knocks and concussions could manifest themselves in problems with anger, depression and unpredictable behaviour, which could tear apart young families and lives, he said.

And that was before the apparent onset of devastating, degenerative neurological diseases.

Sports law expert Annette Greenhow is calling for a national concussion framework. Pic: Supplied

Jess’ explosive claims come in the wake of a call from Australian sports law expert Annette Greenhow for a national regulatory body to oversee concussion in all sports, at all levels, and new research by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute showing a link between concussions which are slow to resolve and mental illness, including depression.

Asst. Prof Geenhow said international studies showed women reported far more concussions than men and the difference in body type between men and women may be part of the reason.

Isabel Huntington suffers an injury during the round two AFLW match between the Brisbane Lions and the Western Bulldogs in Brisbane. Picture: Getty Images

The official AFLW 2017/2018 Injury report reveals there were 14 concussions in the inaugural 2017 season and 16 this season.

Mr Jess said court action for damages by former AFL stars John Barnes, John Platten, Nicky Winmar and Greg Williams over concussions incurred during their playing days was still on track.

AFL legend Nicky Winmar is one of the players agent Peter Jess says is “rock solid” in a looming concussion court action. Picture: Herald Sun

Contrary to reports that scores of players were set to be involved in the forecast damages action, it was now likely the action would be “distilled down to probably four or five lead cases”, Jess said.

Compelling scientific evidence had demonstrated a link between severe or repeated concussions and long-term brain damage, progressive neurological conditions and mental health problems but the AFL was “engaged in intellectual dishonesty” by continually casting doubt on the legitimacy of that concussion research, he said.

“Every other major (sporting) body in the world has recognised it except in Australia: If you have repetitive head knocks, men or women, you are going to have long-term neurological damage,” Jess said.