‘Saddest I’ve seen’: NRL cult hero Mario Fenech’s tragic dementia battle

The rugby league world has been left shocked after Mario Fenech’s battle with dementia shone a harsh spotlight on a blight on the sport.

Mario Fenech is battling dementia. Photo: 7 NEWS Spotlight

South Sydney great Mario Fenech’s tragic dementia reveal has cast yet another necessary light on head trauma in the sport.

A former NSW State of Origin star and 274-gamer across 15-years in first-grade rugby league at Souths, North Sydney and the South Queensland Crushers, Fenech was arguably most well know for being the butt of jokes on the Footy Show.

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But the 60-year-old was diagnosed with early onset dementia seven years ago and is believed to be suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain condition caused by repeated blows to the head. The condition can only be officially diagnosed post-mortem via autopsy.

He revealed on Channel 7’s Spotlight on Sunday night that his memory has been badly affected.

His wife Rebecca revealed the extent of his memory issues.

“He does not remember the moment because the next moment is the new moment,” she explained.

“For example, when my son got married in April, I couldn’t even tell him until (the day of it).

“He knew, but on the morning of it, I said, ‘Today’s the wedding’, and even during the day, I’d say, ‘We’re going to the wedding today … The wedding today’.

“And I wanted to make that a special day because it was probably the last time that maybe we’ll all be able to celebrate”.

Mario and Rebecca. Photo: 7 NEWS Spotlight

Mario spoke at the wedding but his son Joe said by the next day, his memory was gone.

“The really sad part of this story is that when my parents woke up in the morning, the day after the wedding, my dad turned to my mum and said, ‘Oh, I’m really excited for the wedding, when is it?’,” Joe said.

Channel 7 reports he has little memory left and will soon need full-time care.

He revealed in 2016 he had begun to struggle with the impacts of brain damage and had begun to take dementia medication.

He said at the time he had no regrets about his career.

“Rugby league in this generation is a lot more safer than when I played,” he said.

“But in saying that I wouldn’t change a thing. I really enjoyed my 15 year challenge of playing Rugby League and enjoyed my time at Souths and it was brutal in those days but that’s the way it was.”

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Big Sports Breakfast, veteran rugby league reporter Phil Rothfield said he “shed a tear” watching the report.

“Mario is a very good friend of mine throughout his career and to see him struggling in the manner of which he is, it’s really sad,” Rothfield said.

“I’m glad the story was covered so well, I’m glad it’s raised awareness.

“There are other footballers struggling in Mario’s position, Royce Simmons is not at that stage yet but Steve Mortimer the great Turvey Mortimer, George Piggins.

“I think that story last night was one of the saddest I’ve seen on TV. I think it’s a message not just to all of us in the media but the players and everywhere to really get behind the NRL’s attempts on the crackdowns and high tackles.

“Even for players like Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Felise Kaufusi, Victor Radley, Nelson Asofa-Solomona that maybe its time they did think about — they’re all great players, they’re all tough men — but to think a little bit more about how they play the game.

“I don’t think we can support the NRL enough on this.

The reality of a career in contact sports. Photo: 7 NEWS Spotlight

“It was a tough old game in those days and the NRL have done a great job to clean it up but I think there’s more to be done.

“The collisions compared to when Mario played because of the sports science, because of the athletes, the power of the game we now have is probably even harder than what we had back then.

“I’m really passionate now about getting on board and look it’s a great collision sport we’re never going to take out the contact and a lot of the things that happen on a rugby league field are accidents, but we’re going to lower the collision rate the harder we work on keeping tackles down.”

Rugby league great Laurie Daley said perhaps a response would be a mandatory seven-day stand down policy after a concussion.

“As a game to we need to look after and protect our players a little bit more in regards to we saw Mitch Moses last weekend knocked out against Penrith but then was allowed (to return against Canberra) … We allow players back seven days after they’ve been concussed,” Daley said.

“I think that needs to be changed as well.”

Moses was not in a good way. Photo by Matt King/Getty Images

Rothfield said one of Australia’s leading brain injury experts and senior adviser to the NRL Chris Levi supports a week off after a head injury.

“He is now suggesting that there has to be an automatic one week stand down for any player that suffers a bad concussion,” Rothfield said.

“That takes it out of the doctors hands and you just miss one game and then you’re examined the following week to make sure you’re right to go home and that one week rest could mean everything especially from professor Levi.”