NPR

Sickening disease, RIP


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-leagu ... qqwvwzp5zo

Legend of League lost his battle with MND today.
Sleep well.

As a Saints fan I used to hate him whilst secretly admiring him. Since his MND diagnosis that admiration was no longer a secret. Another rugby great lost to this dreadful disease.

sefton wrote: Sun Jun 02, 2024 5:38 pm As a Saints fan I used to hate him whilst secretly admiring him. Since his MND diagnosis that admiration was no longer a secret. Another rugby great lost to this dreadful disease.

This, he gave me some terrible bloody afternoons and grand finals, but was a superb player and competitor. A massive loss.

A giant in a small man’s body, he was some bloody rugby player.

He and Doddie have done a lot to raise awareness of this terrible condition

sefton wrote: Sun Jun 02, 2024 5:38 pm As a Saints fan I used to hate him whilst secretly admiring him. Since his MND diagnosis that admiration was no longer a secret. Another rugby great lost to this dreadful disease.

I remember watching the 2009 GF at college, when your lot ran up a good lead at half time (a young Kyle Eastmond played well) and someone bet me a tenner saints would win and I backed Leeds. Sure enough, Sinfield and Burrow took control and saw them to another fucking title (might have been their 3rd in a row).

As Braz said, he gave us some shit days as a Warrington fan, but he was an incredible player and tough as they come. He made a habit of ducking under tackles, he was so short they inevitably missed him. Made a good transition from scrum half to hooker later in his career as well, playing there for England when Roby was out. For a man his size to play professional league was overcoming the odds, to play at the level he did was astonishing. Part of a golden generation at Leeds (that hopefully they never see again).

Abide with me will feel a bit different for everyone next weekend at Wembley.

So sad.

The ST had a piece about him and his mate Kevin today we well

Sad

REFRY was right. Rugby is deadly to a lot of men who die long before their time after too many head-knocks.

Entertaining to watch of course.

Rip

Sandstorm wrote: Sun Jun 02, 2024 7:40 pm REFRY was right. Rugby is deadly to a lot of men who die long before their time after too many head-knocks.

Entertaining to watch of course.

I’ve done a lot of thinking about this today for various reasons

Sandstorm wrote: Sun Jun 02, 2024 7:40 pm REFRY was right. Rugby is deadly to a lot of men who die long before their time after too many head-knocks.

Entertaining to watch of course.

Not the time nor place Sandy.

RIP Rob.
It's a cünt of a disease.

This is just so sad. But what a legacy to leave. 41 is just so young.

Sandstorm wrote: Sun Jun 02, 2024 7:40 pm REFRY was right. Rugby is deadly to a lot of men who die long before their time after too many head-knocks.

Entertaining to watch of course.

Has it been conclusively shown that head knocks contribute to the development of MND? It's not especially common amongst boxers, and while there have been 4 rugby players struck down with it in the last 20 years, is it more common amongst rugby players than the general population?

Not trying to diminish the argument about the amount of brain damage rugby is causing, and whether the sport can have a future given the risks of professionalism, but I've not seen anything clearly linking rugby (or head knocks) to MND.

Crash669 wrote: Mon Jun 03, 2024 10:11 am

Sandstorm wrote: Sun Jun 02, 2024 7:40 pm REFRY was right. Rugby is deadly to a lot of men who die long before their time after too many head-knocks.

Entertaining to watch of course.

Has it been conclusively shown that head knocks contribute to the development of MND? It's not especially common amongst boxers, and while there have been 4 rugby players struck down with it in the last 20 years, is it more common amongst rugby players than the general population?

Not trying to diminish the argument about the amount of brain damage rugby is causing, and whether the sport can have a future given the risks of professionalism, but I've not seen anything clearly linking rugby (or head knocks) to MND.

Some studies have suggested there might be an increased risk of MND for rugby players and other elite athletes (some studies have suggested that high levels of exercise might increase the risk of MND). However, in most of these studies the sample size has been too small to draw any real conclusions.

According to the MND Association, the vast majority of cases of MND involve a complex mix of genetic and environmental risk factors, so while there are indications of increased risk from rugby and other sports, we are quite a long way from proving any causal link.

Lobby wrote: Mon Jun 03, 2024 10:27 am Some studies have suggested there might be an increased risk of MND for rugby players and other elite athletes (some studies have suggested that high levels of exercise might increase the risk of MND). However, in most of these studies the sample size has been too small to draw any real conclusions.

This was my understanding too.

Research into MND is criminally underfunded. Covid showed how a huge injection of funding can make a massive difference to research and vaccination. If similar amount was put into MND, I wouldn't be surprised if a breakthrough could be made quite soon. Hopefully Burrow's legacy will lead to this.

Sandstorm wrote: Sun Jun 02, 2024 7:40 pm REFRY was right. Rugby is deadly to a lot of men who die long before their time after too many head-knocks.

Entertaining to watch of course.

Not sure what you wrote was what you meant in terms of context!

Tragic as his death is, having heard the news after visiting my father who is in a care home with vascular dementia, I couldn't help thinking that it was also some kind of relief. And not just for the victim.