Dementia in RL players

[Jimmy DoNut]

“Thrown away like an unwanted broken toy..” Michael Edwards has been diagnosed with early onset dementia aged 48. He’s among a group of former rugby league players suing the RFL for an alleged failure to protect them from the risks of brain damage.

 

So sad to hear this news today that former Roughyeds player Michael 'Mickey' Edwards is ill. Mickey was a fine player for Oldham in the 'A' team at 'Sheddings and then the first team in the new club's first season under Paddy Kirwan. For anyone who hasn't seen it Mickey is interviewed on the BBC Sport website RL page today. But it's also very sad to hear that Mickey is one of a group of 10 ex RL players, including the great Bobbie Goulding, suing the RFL. Easy for me to say when I've never played rugby league in my life but surely players know what they are signing up for when they play the game - it's physical, it's tough, it's hard and injuries will always happen. Seems bizarre to me that the RFL might have a case to answer for failure to protect players. RL is a professional sport and players are paid to put their bodies on the line, they don't have to do it. Interesting to see other ex-pros saying similar things today on social media. What do people on here think?