Daniel Venables = Concussion Recovery

[ROYAL EAGLE]

This was on the WCE site but thought it deserved its own thread on the main board due to the importance of concussion in the current game.

This is a wonderful video, I encourage everyone to watch and post your thoughts.

20 year old premiership player that's been out of the game for two years

I truly hope he can make a comeback, courageous kid.

 

[owen87]

I truly hope he can make a comeback

In some ways, I almost hope he doesn't. Seems like he'd always be one more head knock away from some real long-term problems. Rather see a young guy walk away for the good of their health than come back and get hurt.

We've seen too many stories lately of guys having issues later in life due to this stuff; Frawley & Tuck for example.

 

[Ambrosia]

Only watched 5 minutes but from what I can tell I hope he doesn’t come back. His quality of life already seems permanently impacted from that incident. He’d be crazy to risk making that worse.

 

[ashep]

Only half way through but this is an incredible video.

Full credit to Venables and the club for putting this out there and being so transparent.

Uncomfortable viewing.

 

[master bate]

Hard to feel like there wasn't some bigger unseen pathology that occurred. There has to be some kind of damage that they couldn't quantify with typical scans. I'm glad they've called it a traumatic brain injury, because whilst all concussions are exactly that this one is clearly more than the standard head knock.

And people don't like this when I say it but I find it hard to believe there isn't a mental health aspect at play. The initial injury is so bad that it tricks the brain in to further symptoms. The same kind of things as chronic fatigue. It becomes a complex illness with so much at play. Physical damage, cellular damage, perhaps and immune response and then likely a mental health problem as well. That's not in anyway saying his symptoms aren't real, it's just everything is mixed in together.

There's a question about whether he should play again. But I reckon he should stay in the game until he's healthy, that's for sure. Staying in the game gets him constant medical care and can progress one step at a time.

 

[lumpinee]

wow,he sounds a long way off playing again,if ever,thats a shame being so young,i hope he gets all the help he needs

 

[Igavemyloveachicken]

Hard to feel like there wasn't some bigger unseen pathology that occurred. There has to be some kind of damage that they couldn't quantify with typical scans. I'm glad they've called it a traumatic brain injury, because whilst all concussions are exactly that this one is clearly more than the standard head knock.

And people don't like this when I say it but I find it hard to believe there isn't a mental health aspect at play. The initial injury is so bad that it tricks the brain in to further symptoms. The same kind of things as chronic fatigue. It becomes a complex illness with so much at play. Physical damage, cellular damage, perhaps and immune response and then likely a mental health problem as well. That's not in anyway saying his symptoms aren't real, it's just everything is mixed in together.

There's a question about whether he should play again. But I reckon he should stay in the game until he's healthy, that's for sure. Staying in the game gets him constant medical care and can progress one step at a time.

I agree that there might be an underlying issue not diagnosed....I've been diagnosed with a severe form of obstructive sleep apnea and his symptoms present as extremely familiar.

 

[ROYAL EAGLE]

Hard to feel like there wasn't some bigger unseen pathology that occurred. There has to be some kind of damage that they couldn't quantify with typical scans. I'm glad they've called it a traumatic brain injury, because whilst all concussions are exactly that this one is clearly more than the standard head knock.

And people don't like this when I say it but I find it hard to believe there isn't a mental health aspect at play. The initial injury is so bad that it tricks the brain in to further symptoms. The same kind of things as chronic fatigue. It becomes a complex illness with so much at play. Physical damage, cellular damage, perhaps and immune response and then likely a mental health problem as well. That's not in anyway saying his symptoms aren't real, it's just everything is mixed in together.

There's a question about whether he should play again. But I reckon he should stay in the game until he's healthy, that's for sure. Staying in the game gets him constant medical care and can progress one step at a time.

Yea i tend to agree
Staying in the system seems to be good for him at this stage

 

[kaiserchief13]

It's easy for people to say yeah you got to retire......but he's 20 years old....he trained hard for the past 10 years to get his chance at an AFL career and then got it. Why should he give up when he is 20 years old? The (mental) health issue that comes from retiring when he is not ready for that vs the health issues that could come if he gets concussed in future. Either way it's his life and his choice.

 

[ROYAL EAGLE]

It's easy for people to say yeah you got to retire......but he's 20 years old....he trained hard for the past 10 years to get his chance at an AFL career and then got it. Why should he give up when he is 20 years old? The (mental) health issue that comes from retiring when he is not ready for that vs the health issues that could come if he gets concussed in future. Either way it's his life and his choice.

He is so young still, so the club couldn't offer him a coaching role.
But you hope they can offer hi m something if he cant play again.

 

[Scotland]

The scary thing about Venables is that he has only played 21 games and got KOd once.

You hear horror stories about retired NFL players who spent their careers banging heads (in helmets, which protects the skull but not movement of the brain within the skull) and other athletes who have suffered repeated head knocks but it can all be as simple as one freak collision.

 

[Altum Volantes]

The scary thing about Venables is that he has only played 21 games and got KOd once.

You hear horror stories about retired NFL players who spent their careers banging heads (in helmets, which protects the skull but not movement of the brain within the skull) and other athletes who have suffered repeated head knocks but it can all be as simple as one freak collision.

This is what I take from DV’s case more than anything - it can all be over (or close to it) in a second. Could have been Brad Sheppard last weekend, or any of the other guys missing this week with a concussion. Scary stuff.

 

[The Passenger]

This is what I take from DV’s case more than anything - it can all be over (or close to it) in a second. Could have been Brad Sheppard last weekend, or any of the other guys missing this week with a concussion. Scary stuff.

It really is a fine line. Different sport, but Sidney Crosby has missed roughly a season and a half of his career due to concussion. Most of that was when he was 23/24 so only a couple of years older than Venables. Crosby has put it behind him and racked up one of the great NHL careers and will be a first ballot half of famer, so there is a path back.

But so many issues don't get discovered till after a players career is behind them and the accumulation of all these hits starts to add. On top of that you have a number of sportsmen who struggle to adapt back till a more normal life after experiencing the highs and lows of playing high stakes sport in front of huge crowds.

Given the amount of legal action that is starting to take place, especially in the US, it's easy to see why many sporting codes are taking protective measures.

 

[BartBart]

I am glad WCE have supported him for a decent amount of time even if the cost was a list spot.

I sm thinking it will come to a conclusion at the end of the season unfortunately.

 

[Sweet Jesus]

This is brutal. He was good enough to play 20-odd games, which included a flag at 19. But that's all. Curtains. Retired at 22.

That hit was so random. That could happen dozens of times a game. That wasn't a brutal shirtfront or a dangerous tackle. An opponent jumped for the ball and his hip clipped Venables in the face. There's no way we could legislate that out of the sport. That could happen in training or a game of netball.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

I was a big fan of Venables in his draft year. I really wanted Carlton to draft him.

Really sad to retire this way but I'm happy he got a premiership medallion to comfort him.

Best of luck Daniel.

 

[revo333]

Very sad listening to him speak on 360 last night, Nick Riewoldt seemed a little shaking up by it.

I hope the future works out well for him.

 

[jim boy]

Yeah not good. May not be good for any meaningful work for a while if he is still having headaches and unable to concentrate on anything for long. Hopefully he does make a full recovery, obviously his had that medical tribunal and they have put a line through his footy career - wonder that means for ongoing support, such as work cover, ongoing medical costs etc. I have hope for him though, friend of mine suffered traumatic brain injury in a car accident and was out for two years, but effectively made a full recovery.

 

[powerrrrrrrrrrrr]

This is just a terrible outcome for anyone and especially someone so young. Hope he continues to get all the support he needs going forward.

Would be great in these cases (player willing) that the AFL would cover their salary as a coach at the club outside the soft cap if they wished to continue to be involved in footy in some capacity.

 

[HairyO]

This is brutal. He was good enough to play 20-odd games, which included a flag at 19. But that's all. Curtains. Retired at 22.

That hit was so random. That could happen dozens of times a game. That wasn't a brutal shirtfront or a dangerous tackle. An opponent jumped for the ball and his hip clipped Venables in the face. There's no way we could legislate that out of the sport. That could happen in training or a game of netball.

Yep. If its not even a knee to the back of the head in a marking content (which could be something the AFL tries to stamp out)... truly a freak accident.

 

[WillHayward]

Heard him interviewed.
Super mature for a young pup.
Seems like a terrific fella.

 

[Makka]

Really thought he would of been tearing up through the middle by now so really sad to see he couldn't make it back. Hope the club can get him into an admin role of some sort to keep him around the club in some capacity.

 

[_Mike_]

Concussions have shortened and ended careers & these stories are good examples of just how dangerous the game can be and how quickly things can change. Wish him well in his future.

 

[kane249]

 

[Engimal v3]

Any insight as to what sort of treatment?