Tuesday 8 April 2014 09:25, UK
It is a rarity these days to see a red card in rugby league, especially in a game between two big teams and so early in the season.
It is also a reminder of just how physical this sport is. As a player you don't really think about the risks too often; it certainly hasn't crossed my mind during the build-up to matches. That doesn't mean that there aren't moments when you are involved in a tackle and suddenly find yourself in an uncomfortable position, perhaps you're off the ground and out of control, and it can be scary for that fraction of a second. You just have to hope it will be okay, because it is out of your hands. I've really never thought about the perils of playing, outside of those situations. Physicality is one of the most important things in rugby league, alongside skill. You go into rugby league as a child understanding that you will learn how to protect yourself, as well as improve your fitness and strength. Coaches will always teach you have to minimalise the risks and the proper techniques for both tackling and dealing with being tackled. I played with Chad Randall at the Broncos - his father, Terry, is one of the Manly greats, and he talks about the games they used to play in. Basically it was thuggery. There were a lot of high shots, quite deliberate ones at that, and it makes you think how hard it must have been to play in such an era. Now the game has evolved into this professional age where you have pure athletes, competitors who train five or six times a week and their skills are honed, with the help of video analysis, so they learn how to get better. The incident in the NRL is hopefully a one-in-a-million case. In fact, I hope it isn't even that. I wish Alex all the best in his recovery; it was heart-warming recently to read of his engagement, and his determination to walk his bride down the aisle.