Kalyn Ponga and how the League can stop concussions

“We’ve worked a lot to stay taller longer and not put ourselves in a position where we can knock ourselves out,” Demetriou said. “That’s what we worked on today: making sure we keep our feet under us, keep our eyes on the target and not dive in too late where footwork can give us problems. The message is, “I want to take care of you first. Second, we can’t afford to keep having people leaving the field because they’re knocking themselves out.

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Meanwhile, in Newcastle, the Knights are working out what to do with the Captain Kalyn Pongawho is seeking an extended layoff – his fourth in 10 months – after suffering a severe concussion against the Wests Tigers.

Ponga went up on Tiger’s hind oar Asu KepaoaThey bumped heads and were taken off the field.

There were concerns the 24-year-old was defending at the front line when he switched from full-back to five-eight and his terrible technique showed why.

Instead of standing with one foot forward like a boxer so he can put all his power into the tackle, Ponga’s feet were spread apart, putting him in a vulnerable position.

It’s not Ponga’s fault: he’s barely spent part of his career defending on the front line.

The rise of wrestling techniques over the past 15 years hasn’t helped either, according to Demetriou.

“Wrestling has led to more contacts; more shoulder to head,” he explained. “The players are fitter and their ability to start in a line is incredible. It gets better every year. But the players get in far too early.”

As revealed last week in the field, 68 percent of concussions in the NRL last year were suffered by defenders rather than ball carriers, meaning punitive measures will not solve this crisis.

And it starts with the fastening technology.

King size party before leaving for the NBA

“I want to cherish this moment,” said the Sydney Kings star Xavier Koch after his side’s stunning game five win over the New Zealand Breakers to claim back-to-back NBL championships. “I want to get drunk like hell!”

Cooks and most of his teammates did just that at The Star in the early hours of Thursday morning after their epic win in front of a record-breaking crowd at Qudos Bank Arena.

When Cooks flew to the United States later in the day to kick off his new NBA deal with Washington Wizards, his jubilant teammates were still partying at various pubs in Sydney’s eastern suburbs – and rightly so.

The Kings suffered multiple deficits throughout the game, including the final quarter with the colorful NBA legend and Kings agent Luca Longley Shareholders and supervisory board chairmen have to calm down PaulSmith in different stages.

Smith polarizes opinion, but there’s nothing wrong with the big guy’s passion.

There’s no rest for the wicked: Smith, Longley, co-owners Andrew Bogut and managing director Chris Pongrass met Thursday at 9:30 a.m. to begin preparations for a three-peat.

Undoubtedly the future of the coach Chase Buford was high on the agenda. After the game, Derek Rucker swam that Buford could be snapped up by the Atlanta Hawks as an assistant in the NBA.

The Kings have the option of keeping him, but wouldn’t stand in his way if another opportunity arose.

Let’s hope he sticks around: while he shifted all the post-win credit to his players, Buford helped build something special here in Sin City.

Fate in Tszyu’s hands

Tim Tszyu did it again: he showed us how good a boxer he can be by defeating a world-class opponent Tony Harrison; then he showed how bad he is at trash talk by yelling “Say my mother – the king’s name” at the camera, which he has done before.

(Say my mother—royal name: this must be the R-rated version of the Destiny Child song).

Tszyu knocked out Harrison in the ninth round with a series of right hooks then uppercuts to capture the interim WBO super welterweight title, though it was a shame as umpired Danrex Tapdasan didn’t stop earlier.

Desperate to step out of the shadow of his famous father Kostya, he and his promoters No Limit consistently refer to the former light heavyweight champion when cheering his fights.

Expect more of this leading to Tszyu’s shot at the world title Jermell Charlowhich is expected to take place in Las Vegas in July.

Harrison is the only fighter to have beaten Charlo despite that being four years ago – and it showed against Tszyu.

Can Tigers get Bateman going?

The Chief of Attorneys for Wests Tigers wears his trademark fedora at a jaunty angle lee Hagipantelis lined up these pagans in the Medya at the Centurions Lounge at the Leichhardt Oval on Sunday ahead of his side’s fiendish performance against the Knights.

As a colleague Michael Chammas revealed in the herald In front of 200 guests on Monday, Hagipantelis complained at length that “parts of the media” and their insidious “clickbait” had misled the public about the suitability of the English import John Bateman.

Essentially, the Tigers insist that Bateman didn’t play for the Tigers in the opening rounds because he was “acclimatizing” after arriving from England two weeks before the start of the season, while some reporters wonder if it’s because that he is injured.

Suspicions about Bateman’s fitness stem from the fact that rival clubs were unwilling to touch the 29-year-old, fearing he was too injury-prone and his body couldn’t take the rigors of the NRL. Wigan, I am told, was more than happy to let Bateman go.

When the Tigers signed him to a whopping four-year contract, many club bosses were stunned.

Bateman was a gunslinger in his day, cast in the same mold as Countryman Sam Burgess. But the human body can only take so much.

Of course, Hagipantelis, a lawyer by trade, drew attention to him ahead of Sunday’s game. He assumes that “certain parts of the media” want to lose him as chairman.

Not this one. Much like his heavily inked CEO, justin pascoeit’s too much fun having this guy around.

THE QUOTE

“You can be nervous, tense, or overzealous and overexcited. The key is finding that space in between. The optimal performance space, the optimal arousal position, where I am right now.” – Derek Rucker discussed basketball ahead of the Kings Breakers final. I find.

THUMBS UP

shark prop Toby Rudolph hasn’t cut her hair in four years, but on Wednesday she came out for The World’s Greatest Shave to raise money for the Leukemia Foundation, raising $45,000 for the cause.

THUMBS DOWN

Can people stop hating the new season of ? Teddy Lasso? After just one episode? For jaded old hacks, the feel-good dramedy is a pleasant reminder of why we love the sport and love life. To say it’s too cheesy misses the point. Thank you Teddy I believe.

It’s a big weekend for… the Sydney Swans, who begin their AFL campaign with an away game against the Gold Coast Suns at Heritage Bank Stadium on Saturday. The Swannies are trying to broadcast Buddy Franklin a winner this season before retiring. He deserves it.

It’s an even bigger weekend for… Golden slipper favorite Cylinder, one of three Godolphin runners in Saturday’s $5 million two-year-old race at Rosehill Gardens. jockey Jacob McDonald was cleared to drive after a suspension was reduced on appeal. Always a great race day.

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