Granty
17-05-2006, 07:21 AM
http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,19160606%255E14793,00.html
'Needling' tactics off limits for Luke
By ADAM GARDINI
17may06
http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,3600,5154880,00.jpg
Luke O'Donnell, sixth from left, trains with his NSW teammates
at Sydney's Coogee Oval yesterday. O'Donnell will have to prove
his fitness before he can pull on the boots to play in Origin I.
NORTH Queensland have urged New South Wales medical staff to comply with the Cowboys' 'no needles' policy when the fitness of back-rower Luke O'Donnell is assessed in the lead-up to Origin I.
The Cowboys forward was selected to make his debut for NSW in next Wednesday's State of Origin opener at Telstra Stadium but remains in doubt with a rib cartilage injury sustained when representing Australia a fortnight ago.
North Queensland officials have warned the rib cartilage problem, which under normal circumstances can prove hard to overcome without significant rest, could be compounded if O'Donnell was to take the field with the assistance of a pain-killing injection.
Cowboys club doctor Greg Winter said he had made contact with the NSW camp to implore the Blues to follow the club's policy regarding pain killers.
The policy has been in place in North Queensland since the arrival of conditioner Billy Johnstone in 2002.
"I have spoken to the NSWRL doctor John Orchard and advised him of our no needles policy," Winter said. "He said he would try to comply. He said if there were any problems he would contact us first."
Winter said players carrying injuries such as O'Donnell's could risk serious injury - potentially a collapsed lung in a worst-case scenario - by relying on a pain-killing injection in order to take the field.
"The biggest risk over the years has been damaging the underlying lung," Winter said. "That's the risk we don't want to run with a lot of the players.
"I can think of only one instance since 2002 where we've done it (pain-killing needle) to put someone on the field and there was a minor risk involved.
"It also interferes with the repair process. Once you start needling, you commit to doing it for weeks because you slow the whole healing process down."
However, he said he thought O'Donnell would be able to play without a pain-killing injection after assessing the 25-year-old at North Queensland's medical on Sunday.
"I believe he'll be fit enough to play," he said.
"He's a tough individual."
O'Donnell trained yesterday during the Blues' first session at Coogee Oval and still has seven days to overcome the injury.
* The ARL yesterday appointed Sean Hampstead to referee Origin I.
'Needling' tactics off limits for Luke
By ADAM GARDINI
17may06
http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,3600,5154880,00.jpg
Luke O'Donnell, sixth from left, trains with his NSW teammates
at Sydney's Coogee Oval yesterday. O'Donnell will have to prove
his fitness before he can pull on the boots to play in Origin I.
NORTH Queensland have urged New South Wales medical staff to comply with the Cowboys' 'no needles' policy when the fitness of back-rower Luke O'Donnell is assessed in the lead-up to Origin I.
The Cowboys forward was selected to make his debut for NSW in next Wednesday's State of Origin opener at Telstra Stadium but remains in doubt with a rib cartilage injury sustained when representing Australia a fortnight ago.
North Queensland officials have warned the rib cartilage problem, which under normal circumstances can prove hard to overcome without significant rest, could be compounded if O'Donnell was to take the field with the assistance of a pain-killing injection.
Cowboys club doctor Greg Winter said he had made contact with the NSW camp to implore the Blues to follow the club's policy regarding pain killers.
The policy has been in place in North Queensland since the arrival of conditioner Billy Johnstone in 2002.
"I have spoken to the NSWRL doctor John Orchard and advised him of our no needles policy," Winter said. "He said he would try to comply. He said if there were any problems he would contact us first."
Winter said players carrying injuries such as O'Donnell's could risk serious injury - potentially a collapsed lung in a worst-case scenario - by relying on a pain-killing injection in order to take the field.
"The biggest risk over the years has been damaging the underlying lung," Winter said. "That's the risk we don't want to run with a lot of the players.
"I can think of only one instance since 2002 where we've done it (pain-killing needle) to put someone on the field and there was a minor risk involved.
"It also interferes with the repair process. Once you start needling, you commit to doing it for weeks because you slow the whole healing process down."
However, he said he thought O'Donnell would be able to play without a pain-killing injection after assessing the 25-year-old at North Queensland's medical on Sunday.
"I believe he'll be fit enough to play," he said.
"He's a tough individual."
O'Donnell trained yesterday during the Blues' first session at Coogee Oval and still has seven days to overcome the injury.
* The ARL yesterday appointed Sean Hampstead to referee Origin I.