Rugby league Immortal Graeme Langlands paying the price for a life lived to the full and a career full of head injuries

AS a rugby league Immortal, Graeme “Changa” Langlands was as fearless as they come. Now, 40 years on, the footy legend with the dragon-sized heart is paying the price.

Graeme Langlands in his room at a Sutherland nursing home. Photo: Gregg Porteous

AS a rugby league Immortal, Graeme “Changa” Langlands was as fearless as they come. In 13 years playing for St George and Australia, he never took a backward step, never backed out of a tackle.

Now, 40 years on, the footy legend with the dragon-sized heart is paying the price.

A leading neurologist claims old football head injuries have contributed to the brain deterioration that has resulted in Langlands being placed in a Sutherland Shire nursing home suffering Alzheimer’s disease and needing 24-hour care to go about his daily tasks.

Langlands was part of a legendary Kangaroos side.

From his room in the Lark Ellen nursing facility this week, the former St George, NSW and Kangaroos superstar struggled to complete his sentences as he spoke of his sad decline from football hero.

Langlands, 75, has not just lost his memory, but also his house and life savings from a failed venture in 2011 which led fraud squad detectives to investigate his business partner.

His neurologist, Professor Raymond Garrick, said in Langlands’ medical reports that “a clear history of multiple concussive head injuries during his sporting career” had contributed to his Alzheimer’s disease.

This is a hard interview. Langlands talks slowly and struggles to complete a sentence.

His daughter Monique is there help out. His short term memory is gone.

He doesn’t know Josh Dugan is the St George Illawarra fullback.

He asks if the long-retired Steve Edge is still playing.

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Langlands was renowned for living life to the full, on and off the field.

It’s sad when you walk into his room and think this is now the home of one of the country’s greatest sporting athletes.

The name we used to see on the old SCG scoreboard is on the wall at the back of his bed with a warning sign “High risk of fall”. He has slipped a couple of times in recent weeks.

It’s easy to blame the fact Langland’s has had a “hard” life.

The nights out and drinking escapades with teammates Johnny Raper and Billy Smith are legendary. Even on the evening before a game.

As Monique said: “They played in the red and white but they were certainly no Saints.”

But his doctors are convinced the fall in 2008 and old concussions are partially to blame.

Langlands still watches most NRL games on television. He has a poster on his wall of the Cronulla Sharks grand final team, not his beloved Dragons.

“St George never made it — and I’m living in the Sharks area,” he said.

He appears to be enjoying himself as the nursing home’s most illustrious patient. The nursing staff bring him a cup of tea and pikelets with jam and cream as we’re talking.

He still gets chipped by other patients about the white boots he famously wore in the 1975 grand final, a 38-nil loss to Eastern Suburbs at the SCG.

“Jesus, do you have to bring the bloody boots up,” he says, “There’s that many blokes in here who mention them. I threw them over a set of goalposts in England. They’re long gone.”

To help pay for his medical costs and other expenses, the family have set up the Graeme Langlands Trust fund.

He signs old photos, footballs and jerseys and the money raised goes towards the junior rugby league club in Picton where his grandsons play rugby league, country junior clinics and other charities.

Langlands still gets some support from the NRL. Photo: Gregg Porteous

The NRL is aware of Langland’s health problems and have been good to him. They still invite him to functions and provide a hire car to get him and a carer there and back home.

The NRL recently imposed $350,000 in fines to the Gold Coast Titans, the Newcastle Knights and St George Illawarra as part of a major concussion crackdown to avoid threats of future legal action from players and compensation claims like those in America’s NFL.

The NFL has paid out almost $2 billion in brain injury compensation to former footballers.

Not that Langlands is even thinking about legal action. He’s happy living off the pension, which covers his nursing costs and the occasional outing.

The problem is that his medical specialists cannot conclusively define the cause of his illness.

He suffered head injuries when he fell off the back of a car during a parade of former rugby league legends before the 2008 World Cup final in Brisbane. And he is renowned for enjoying a beer and a good time.

Langlands is treated by medical staff after falling from a car on a lap of honour.

When contacted, prominent St Vincent’s Hospital Professor Garrick said he stands by his 2014 diagnosis that multiple concussions contributed to Langlands’ condition.

He said Langlands had been a “model” patient who has worked hard to achieve a healthier lifestyle.

Concussion tests were not around during Langlands’ career of 13 years in rugby league. Not in the era of head-high tackles, brawls and stiff arms, and long before punches and shoulder charges were outlawed by the NRL.

He had the most lethal sidestep in the game and was always heavily marked by opposing teams.

Old players recall if you got knocked out the trainer would generally run onto the field, hold two fingers up and ask: “How many fingers can you see?” If the concussed player had blurred vision and didn’t know, a team mate would run past and give him the answer. It was a sign of softness to leave the field.

Footy was a lot different back in Langlands’ day.

Langlands’ family have been an incredible pillar of support as the old champion adjusts to his new life in the nursing home.

He was moved from Port Stephens to Sutherland three months ago to be closer to his family and friends including legendary boxing trainer Johnny Lewis, former TV commentator Barry Ross and old team mates who visit him regularly.

Langlands’ daughter Monique speaks on behalf of the family.

“We’re not blaming rugby league for dad’s condition,” she said. “It’s a contact sport and it’s the way it was played in those days.

“But it’s important for the people who say ‘bring back the biff’ that they can see what the head knocks have done to dad.

“It might be fun watching it from the sidelines or on TV but there are consequences. Everything the NRL is doing to prevent concussed players from staying out there is great.”

“Life’s not too bad,” he says, “I’d like to be outside, but … It’s pretty good here — I’ll be OK.”

Originally published as Rugby league Immortal Graeme Langlands paying the price for a life lived to the full and a career full of head injuries