In a week when Amanda Green insisted she held no hard feelings towards the game following the death of her husband, Paul, last year, another Sharks great Paul Gallen has revealed he recently had a complete scan on his brain.
As the captain of Cronulla and NSW and more recently as a professional boxer, few have been tougher or braver than Gallen. The 41-year-old spent a few days in Newcastle undergoing comprehensive brain testing under the guidance of the specialists who examined Knights star Kalyn Ponga.
Paul Gallen.Credit: Getty
Gallen was not overly concerned with his health, but had the testing after his family who encouraged him to get checked out. “I’ve never really worried about concussion or its after-effects on me,” Gallen said. “I knew what I was in for when I started football and boxing as well. They are not sports for everyone at the professional level. And they come with risks.
“I only decided to get tested because my wife suggested it. I was one of the lucky ones – I was never knocked out playing footy but obviously you get bumps along the way and in training. I think Isuffered three concussions, at least to some degree, in boxing. The worst was some headaches after the [Justis] Huni fight.
“I spent two days getting tested by the people who tested Kalyn Ponga in Newcastle. It was completely comprehensive and the result was good for me. I’m not boasting or sitting here saying I’m in the clear for the rest of my life.
“But the way it’s been explained to me is that I’m the same chance of having dementia or an issue like that as someone who has not played any kind of contact sport. That’s about as good a result as I could have hoped for.
“There is certainly some fears out there but after countless tackles, runs and some heavy duty stuff in the boxing ring I’m happy to say not everyone who does play contact sports ends up in a bad way.”
Amanda Green is now campaigning to raise awareness of CTE after her husband was diagnosed with it after his death. For Amanda, it was a relief of sorts.
“Paul’s death was so unexpected and so hard to understand until we got the diagnosis,” said Amanda. “There were no signs of mental illness. The only thing that I can look back on now is that he has lost some of the spark – he wasn’t quite the same as the man I married. But it’s not that obvious he had a bigger issue.
“I think he must have felt something was not right and I want to dedicate myself to trying to raise awareness to this terrible illness. Iwant to somehow help in this area for future generations.
“My son loves playing football and I have no anger at the sport. Rugby league was Paul’s life and passion. He loved the sport and his family. The sport gave him so much and us so much. Our life and so many memories. I think the NRL is doing things better and if Ican help in some way I will.“
The Sharks deserve huge credit for the way the Green family were treated at Thursday’s match against North Queensland, the team Paul coached to a premiership in 2015.
“The kids [Emerson and Jed] had the best day and night,” Amanda said. “I can’t thank the club enough.”
Emerson has long been an Adam Reynolds fan.He was kind to her when she was a ball girl. But Nicho Hynes may be her new favourite after he presented her with his game jumper after winning the inaugural Paul Green Medal.
Hynes gave the medal to Jed, who also received Matt Moylan’s boots.
Cody battling back
The Dragons were brave in defeat on Anzac Day but they have nothing on Cody Ramsey, who watched his teammates in their biggest club game of the year from a hospital bed in the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse.
Ramsey (inset) was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel condition, late last year. His mum, Kim, told it like only a mum can.
“He’s had his bowel removed and he’s been through a tough time but the doctors have saved him … we know he is heading in the right direction,” she said. “Iwon’t lie, Ifeared losing him – and that’s not just me speaking as his mum. We were worried he wouldn’t survive. But I’m far more positive now. He is riding every play when the Dragons play, he he aims to be back playing.”
Cody Ramsey.Credit: Getty
I contacted Kim during the week out of concern when reading her Facebook post which mentioned Cody’s whereabouts. When you look up the Chris O’Brien lifehouse website, it states: “Chris O’Brien Lifehouse is a hospital that is solely dedicated to treating and researching cancer. We treat all types of cancers, specialising in those that are complex and rare.”
“I know why you were concerned,” Kim said. “It’s not cancer. We came here for Cody to get the best care and treatment possible. He is a lucky boy that he is with the Dragons and they could open some doors for us.
“He needed to have his bowel removed and without the help of the club I don’t think we could have got the treatment we are now getting. I feel for the many others who are not getting that level of treatment and care. We have had a very tough time of it in Wollongong and it’s only now that I feel we are moving towards recovery.
“The damage to his bowel was too much … too far gone. But they have done a reversal. They have built him a new bowel and as far as Cody is concerned he is going to be the first player to overcome this and play first grade again.“
“He is playing golf and he has a good attitude. He just needs to take small steps and he will get back.”
Rugby’s tough talk
If you think Hamish McLennan is worried about criticism from rugby league types, think again. The Rugby Australia boss has ridiculed the toughness of league and the intelligence of those who play it.
“League scrums are so lame,” McLennan told this column. “League talks about toughness but I reckon an arm wrestle at the pub would harder than their scrums. Let’s have a competition between the two best sides and see who’s tougher.
“We’ll do the best of three scrums with the league version and best of three with a rugby version and see who comes out on top.
Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan says the NRL’s proposed international raids have little chance of coming off.
“Rugby Australia will put $100,000 in the kitty and the winner donates the prize money to charity and we’ll get Nine to televise it live.
“If it’s a draw we’ll have a spelling competition to determine the winner.”
No limit to attack dogs turning on Wighton over Souths switch
Jack Wighton would be entitled to fall out of love with sections of the club for which he spilled blood over 14 seasons, and it’s due to both a whispering campaign and negative media coverage of his switch from Canberra to South Sydney at the end of this season.
Wighton is frustrated and confused by the fire surrounding him. Some media attack dogs with ties to the Raiders have hammered Wighton, insisting he owes the club a debt for covering his backside over misdemeanours that were never reported.
Canberra have looked after their player, and that has now come back to bite them because it is being made public in the PR war surrounding his departure. Wighton is not silly. He understands where the narrative is coming from. And there is sure to be some truth to the talk that the Raiders looked after him in the best possible way over the years.
Coach Ricky Stuart treated him like family. But Wighton also provided them with over 10 years of sterling service on the field. None of this is unusual at a football club. Where it gets messy is that Wighton knows some of his personal issues are being used against him. The line is that he had to leave Canberra because of those issues. I’ve put that to his management, who insisted that isn’t the case.
The Raiders say the same. And they are angry at suggestions they have tried to muddy the situation and smear Wighton. Souths thought he was a genuine chance of staying put in Canberra, which should back up the Raiders’ insistence that he was not being run out of town.
The feeling from Wighton’s camp is that if Canberra had not spun hard against him, he would have stayed. He wanted to feel wanted in the negotiation process – something Canberra have scoffed at.
Jack Wighton is headed to the Rabbitohs.Credit: Getty Images
There have even been out-and-out lies from some, painting a heavily negative picture of Wighton. A salary-cap rort whereby Wighton was somehow going to be allowed to involve himself in boxing bouts organised by his management group, No Limit, was stated as fact on Fox Sports’ NRL360.
It was inferred the bouts were a side hustle to make up for money he missed out on by signing for $800,000 with Souths – considerably less than the deal on the table to remain at Canberra.
You would have taken that as gospel, since Fox has an exclusive relationship with No Limit to air its fights. But within minutes, Fox was mysteriously forced to issue an apology on air. It was a stunning backflip and an insight into some of the mud that has been thrown at Wighton.
No Limit has long tried to convince Wighton to fight, and now that option is virtually off the table because it will be viewed as a rort. At no point did Wighton’s management talk to Souths, the Dolphins or others about including boxing in his future.
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