GUTSY: Playing 20 mins without an MCL

[Danny]

Being one of the millions of viewers watching the state of origin game on Wednesday I was bewildered by the news that Craig Gower played the last 20 minutes of the game with a grade three MCL tear of his knee. And to think I was there at the time shouting at him "Just kick it.......how did you drop that........what are you doing, what's wrong with you!" Described by many in the papers this week as one of the gutsiest players in the league, he certainly gains my admiration. Some people say that all the money these players earn today make them soft, I offer this example as evidence that the passion to 'just play footy' is still there.

Cheers
Dan

[injuryupdate]

Craig Gower is definitely tough, although his tendency to take a dive when tackled after kicking probably contributed to no one thinking he was seriously injured in the Origin.

His reputation as an injury-faker will have been balanced a bit by this news of playing on with something fairly serious without complaining.

[injuryupdate]

Article archive from Front page:

NSW won the first State of Origin game in extra time with halfback Craig Gower staying on the field, despite a grade 3 knee medial ligament injury, which he suffered midway the second half of normal time. His current prognosis is that he will be unavailable for 4-6 weeks, despite the fact that he ran out the game during Origin 1. His final diagnosis raises the question of how he was able to stay on the field for the last part of the game. This highlights the limited interchange rule in the NRL, which only allows 12 interchanges per team in normal time, with an extra two granted if the game reaches extra time. In an unlimited interchange situation, Gower may have come off to have his knee assessed, and with the diagnosis made by the doctor off the field, he may have been advised to stay off the field. However, NSW were running low on interchanges and Gower told the trainers that he wouldn't come off because he could keep going (which he may have done even if there was unlimited interchange). He didn't do any extra damage whilst staying out on the field, and although he was limping and not moving freely, his presence may have inspired his team-mates. The reason for the move to limited interchange in the NRL was made to encourage scenarios of players fighting through fatigue and injury when they could do so, and the Gower story probably adds weight to those who support this rule. However, when his adrenaline has stopped and swelling kicks in a few days after injury, he will realise that it will take at least a few weeks before he is fit to start a match again.

[sdredmerah]

Amazing effort