The loss of life of South Sydney legend John Sattler left the rugby league neighborhood heartbroken on Monday.
Known as one of many hardest males to ever play within the NRL, Sattler captained the Souths to 4 premierships between 1967 and 1971.
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The powerful as nails front-rower put his physique on the road again and again for his membership with no extra brutal second than throughout the 1970 Grand Final.
In the opening 10 minutes Sattler was hit by Manly’s John Bucknall in a punch so vicious it shattered his jaw in three locations.
Despite the ugly damage, Sattler performed out the sport and saved the damage hidden from his teammates as he led them to glory.
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But as we’ve sadly come to see lately, gamers from these generations have been left with life-altering well being circumstances.
Sattler’s well being deteriorated badly lately as he battled dementia, not lengthy after he had suffered a stroke.
Knowledge of concussions and their damning results wasn’t as well-known again within the day as it’s now and sadly it has value gamers dearly.
His son Scott spoke about his quickly declining well being and stated the Souths arduous nut was paying the value for taking part in throughout the brutal period of rugby league.
“Dad was diagnosed officially last year with dementia,” Scott stated to The Daily Telegraph in 2021.
“I’ve always suspected for a lot longer that he was suffering from memory loss.
“I have no doubt the punishment dad copped during his career has played a role in his health today. He suffered a stroke a few years ago and that is also a factor.
“It’s sad to see, what I’d give to be able to sit and talk rugby league like we used to for hours.
“I’ll never get that again, this is the effect of rugby league.”
The NRL solely not too long ago modified protocols surrounding concussion with a brand new mandate that can power gamers to overlook two rounds in the event that they’re discovered to have suffered a concussion.
The league is going through its most vital shake-up to concussion protocols in years — coming simply sooner or later after the AFL was rocked by a landmark class motion lawsuit.
The NRL has been below hearth for its dealing with of concussions and head accidents to start out the 2023 season, headlined by Bulldogs soccer boss Phil Gould’s public declaration one a part of the coverage is an “abomination”.
The most critical concern surrounds the way forward for Newcastle celebrity Kalyn Ponga after he was pressured from the sphere in each of his staff’s video games this season after taking a head knock.
There was hypothesis Ponga may even be pressured right into a untimely retirement on account of a sequence of head accidents he has suffered lately.
The NRL is now taking important motion to safeguard gamers going through comparable conditions.
The Australian Rugby League Commission has confirmed studies it’s now aligned with the AFL and world rugby in introducing a compulsory 11-day stand down interval for concussed gamers.
Sadly these modifications matter little to gamers from Sattler’s period who’ve come ahead to element their coronary heart breaking well being battles.
Fellow South Sydney nice Mario Fenech left the NRL world in shock when he revealed the brutal extent of his dementia battle.
The former NSW State of Origin star was identified with early onset dementia seven years in the past and is believed to be affected by continual traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a mind situation attributable to repeated blows to the top. The situation can solely be formally identified autopsy through post-mortem.
He revealed on Channel 7’s Spotlight that his reminiscence has been badly affected. He stated in 2016 he had begun to battle with the impacts of mind harm and had begun to take dementia medicine.
He stated on the time he had no regrets about his profession.
“Rugby league in this generation is a lot more safer than when I played,” he stated.
“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.”
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
