Should painkilling injections be legal in football?

[injuryupdate]

Painkilling injections of local anaesthetic are legal in the AFL and NRL but not in rugby union. The Brisbane Lions had so many players injected with painkillers that they probably wouldn't have won the AFL Grand Final without them. Most of these injections will not cause long-term damage, although there is little research into the effects of a degenerative knee being numbed, and short-term side effects are not uncommon (e.g. punctured lungs). Currently, retired Carlton AFL player is taking court action claiming that painkilling injections shortened his career.

What do you think?