Toughest exhibition by a player

[injuryupdate]

In rugby league circles, John Sattler is immortalised for having played most of the 1970 Grand Final for Souths with a broken jaw.

I reckon Chris Flannery's effort in playing most of the Preliminary Final with a ruptured testicle (he did this in the first 5 minutes of the game then played the game out without asking to come off) is the most amazing effort of toughness I have heard of. Some of the other players who have suffered this injury (Brett Kimmorley, Steve Silvagni) have collapsed in agony.

I don't think there is an injury that could be more painful (maybe a snapped tibia). Anyone know of someone who has played on with something worse than this?

[hhh]

Dippa and/or Dermie (?) in the 1987 VFL grandfinal played on with broken ribs and a punctured lung

[Danny]

Craig Gower in State of Origin playing the last 20 minutes with a ruptured MCL, still kicked, still took the ball to the line.

Ashton Sims getting absolutely flattened by Clint Newton's elbow to the face (for which he was sent off). Sims returned to the field and was instrumental in keeping the Dragons ahead.

Adam Goodes playing the majority of the season without a PCL. What a team player, he could have rested up but realised how important he was to the Swanies.

[hhh]

Triple H May 21, 2001 teamed with Stone Cold Steve Austin to take on Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho in a Tag Team Championship match. During the bout, Triple H tore his left quadriceps muscle completely off the bone. Yet The Game found the heart to finish the bout, never once even thinking about giving up.

[injuryupdate]

I had a patient once who competed in the Forster Ironman Triathlon with a stress fracture of her tibia. However, what was more impressive was that she fell off her bike during the bike leg and fractured her sacrum, but continued in the event and completed the run marathon with a fractured sacrum thereafter.

Flannery's effort to back up and play the Grand Final a week after a ruptured testicle is right up there though.

[Rod Whiteley]

Anyone know of someone who has played on with something worse than this?
I don't know about worse, but one of the league players I looked after tore his MCL and ACL. Unfortunately it was about 30 seconds after 2 other guys had done game (and season) ending knee injuries, and the ground we were playing at only had 2 stretchers (Penrith). He grizzled a bit, got up and played the remaining 20 minutes until half time, refusing to come off (even with a collapsing knee). He had to be restrained at half time, and had everything reconstructed the next day. Another of our guys once famously had an argument about coming off after breaking his jaw, he tells me that it didn't hurt that much and therefore thought that Sattler's effort was overrated. He was (is) a pretty hard man though.

[Nicholas]

I'd say Lenny Hayes. Although he did not know it during the game, he ruptured his ACL when being knocked in the knee but played on through the rest of the match.

[injuryupdate]

I think there have been a few football players in NRL and AFL who have completed matches after rupturing ACLs. I know Peter Cusack did for the Roosters in the same game that Fitzgibbon tore everything on lateral side of the knee at Suncorp in 2003.

[SPK]

Jason Croker.

This was back in 2001/02. Canberra had copped a stack of injuries in a game against the Roosters I think? and had only the 1 interchange left - and he was injured too. Croker goes down with ruptured ligaments in both his knee and ankle, including the ACL but played on anyway simply because " there was no-one else to come on and replace me".

Tough bastard.

[Nicholas]

In 2006 there were a few others.
1. Benji Marshall played on with fractured cheekbone.
2. Jared Crouch played 2 matches after breaking his collarbone
3. Mark Jamar played on with fractured foot.
4. Brett Hodgeson and Chris Flannery played on with hand fractures.
5. Reni Mautai played on with meniscus tear.
6. Chris Judd played on with a popped shoulder.

[Nicholas]

Me for playing basketball with a broken/sprained toe.

[sdredmerah]

What an effort!!!!!!!!:D Congradulations. If I broke my toe, I'd be on crutches

[sdredmerah]

What an effort!!!!!!!!:D Congradulations. If I broke my toe, I'd be on crutches

Speaking of toe fractures, there was an ice skater who skated with a stress fracture to her toe. She did manage to win the event.

[roostersfan]

These are some very tough efforts.