Re: RD 8 | Huddersfield Giants (H) : Wed Apr 17, 2024 10:42 am  

Trebor1 wrote:

Gannon out until at least June apparently too. We really have no luck with injuries. Never known a team like it.

We're not 100% that Rob's condition is down to rugby - but. We also had Stevie Ward don't forget, sadly retired way before his time.

Plenty of other clubs have had issues with ex-players and head injury legacies, but we've had some worrying trends at Leeds - currently Gannon and Bentley in particular.

I worry about Gannon in particular, such a potential talent and if he's too prone to concussion we're just never going to see it.

I wonder if there's some correlation between how young these guys made their open age debuts - it's hard to overstate the physcial impact for young lads playing against fully grown men (even in Championship). Calls into question our strategy of playing our young players in over-age environments right through the academy too IMO. It's OK having protocols in place but it does not stop you getting concussion from defending, or just from the legitimate force of impact compared to lads more their own age and strength.

Re: RD 8 | Huddersfield Giants (H) : Wed Apr 17, 2024 11:16 am  

Trebor1 wrote:

Gannon out until at least June apparently too. We really have no luck with injuries. Never known a team like it.

Can’t see Gannon play this year. Not something that can be rushed. Soon a he’s back will be getting head contacts, it’s inevitable. Medical team will rightly be extremely cautious. We don’t want another Ward scenario.

Re: RD 8 | Huddersfield Giants (H) : Wed Apr 17, 2024 11:18 am  

Glad Ruan is back, hope he gets a place. We need forwards badly atm.

[Frosties.]

Re: RD 8 | Huddersfield Giants (H) : Wed Apr 17, 2024 11:53 am  

Frosties. wrote:

Meslier
Fusitua Newman Momirovski Roberts
Croft Frawley
Oledzki Ackers Goudemand
McDonnell Martin
Smith

O’Connor Lisone Sangare Donaldson

McCormack Edgell Sinfield Littlewood

I realised myself just now ha!

Interesting seeing Sinfield, Ruan, Roberts, Edgell, Nicholson-Watton, McCormack all in the 21, meaning at least two of these will play. Roberts is a certainty given Handley absence, but with Ruan and Nicholson-Watton being both recalled, you’d expect at least one of them too.

Miller; Fusitua, Newman, Momirovski, Roberts; Croft, Frawley; Oledzki, Ackers, Sangare; McDonnell, Martin, Smith.
O’Connor, Lisone, Goudemand, Ruan/Nicholson-Watton

Sinfield, Edgell, McCormack.

Re: RD 8 | Huddersfield Giants (H) : Wed Apr 17, 2024 12:07 pm  

KaeruJim wrote:

I wonder if there's some correlation between how young these guys made their open age debuts - it's hard to overstate the physcial impact for young lads playing against fully grown men (even in Championship). Calls into question our strategy of playing our young players in over-age environments right through the academy too IMO. It's OK having protocols in place but it does not stop you getting concussion from defending, or just from the legitimate force of impact compared to lads more their own age and strength.

I've contemplated this for a few years now. The days of 16 and 17 year olds playing regular first grade are over. It's not just head knocks, it also has a huge affect on the body. Look at the state of Jack Walker, as an example. We're essentially expecting kids to take repeated car crash level impacts.
Personally, I don't think it will be long before we introduce a minimum age limit to senior rugby, like they have in Aus.

Re: RD 8 | Huddersfield Giants (H) : Wed Apr 17, 2024 1:16 pm  

KaeruJim wrote:

We're not 100% that Rob's condition is down to rugby - but. We also had Stevie Ward don't forget, sadly retired way before his time.

Plenty of other clubs have had issues with ex-players and head injury legacies, but we've had some worrying trends at Leeds - currently Gannon and Bentley in particular.

I worry about Gannon in particular, such a potential talent and if he's too prone to concussion we're just never going to see it.

I wonder if there's some correlation between how young these guys made their open age debuts - it's hard to overstate the physcial impact for young lads playing against fully grown men (even in Championship). Calls into question our strategy of playing our young players in over-age environments right through the academy too IMO. It's OK having protocols in place but it does not stop you getting concussion from defending, or just from the legitimate force of impact compared to lads more their own age and strength.

Yeah it's fully understandable Jim, just gutted don't get to see us with a full squad and great young talent like Gannon and Ward previously fulfill their undoubted potential. Gannon i think has the potential to be very very good. Finger crossed for him.

I do wonder if we can bring someone in from somewhere (in the pack).. any rough diamonds out there in the championship perhaps.

Re: RD 8 | Huddersfield Giants (H) : Wed Apr 17, 2024 1:19 pm  

KaeruJim wrote:

I wonder if there's some correlation between how young these guys made their open age debuts - it's hard to overstate the physcial impact for young lads playing against fully grown men (even in Championship). Calls into question our strategy of playing our young players in over-age environments right through the academy too IMO. It's OK having protocols in place but it does not stop you getting concussion from defending, or just from the legitimate force of impact compared to lads more their own age and strength.

It`s an interesting one and worth a debate or research to see if there`s a link.
How old were the likes of Havard, Hill, Nesemba at Wigan and others such as Holroyd at Warrington and Delaney at Saints?
Each one of them already decent prospects yet we seem to suffer more than others.
Is it because they were exposed to the first team too soon or we have been unlucky?

Re: RD 8 | Huddersfield Giants (H) : Wed Apr 17, 2024 6:35 pm  

chapylad wrote:

It`s an interesting one and worth a debate or research to see if there`s a link.
How old were the likes of Havard, Hill, Nesemba at Wigan and others such as Holroyd at Warrington and Delaney at Saints?
Each one of them already decent prospects yet we seem to suffer more than others.
Is it because they were exposed to the first team too soon or we have been unlucky?

Exactly this I don't think luck in preparation of young players pathways is thing its the conditioning and then ultimately the head coach making a decision as to whether the player is deemed ready for selection we seem to be not as professional as our peers.

Re: RD 8 | Huddersfield Giants (H) : Thu Apr 18, 2024 10:01 am  

RAPIDO wrote:

Exactly this I don't think luck in preparation of young players pathways is thing its the conditioning and then ultimately the head coach making a decision as to whether the player is deemed ready for selection we seem to be not as professional as our peers.

Could it be that we play in a less structured manner when compared to likes of Wigan and Saints who seem very adapt at integrating younger players into their systems.

Re: RD 8 | Huddersfield Giants (H) : Thu Apr 18, 2024 11:44 am  

Think it’s just a brutal sport, where one bad collision can wreck lives.