Rise for Alex

[Guest]

What an inspiration the kid is. I would be proud if my boy grew up to be like Alex, he is setting a very high standard in terms of how to present yourself in a sophisticated, respectable manner. Kudos to Alex and i continue to wish him a speedy recovery.

Having said that, it is Rise for Alex round and i highly recommend as many people head out to the game as possible. A dollar is donated to the Rise for Alex fund for every fan that attends every match this weekend, which is enough of a reason to get out and support the boys tomorrow.

As well as this, its one of the few home day games we had, even though there were a few ramblers saying we were robbed of any home day games this year. It's a 3 o'clock start, and if you're a rugby league fan like myself you would get to enjoy all 3 grades from roughly 11 am.

Weather permitting, we should get a bumper crowd, hopefully somewhere around 20k.

Someone start a match thread, I've officially retired.

[Guest]

Agree with you 100% on Alex McKinnon. Its a truly gut wrenching thing that happened, but he is getting on with things better than I imagine most people would. The way he is handling himself is inspirational. I really hope he makes a recovery and walks again as is his goal.

Well done Alex. I will be out there on Sunday in support with my little ranga son!

[Kingsgrove-Loiner]

The Footy Show was a beauty for a change last night. Its a mark of the respect that people have or Alex that they had such a great turn out. They even had Wayne Bennett on - the first time in 21 years.

I'm going to buy a Telegraph tomorrow, just so they have to chip in $1. It'll go straight in the bin, but its the least I can do.

[Guest]

The Footy Show was a beauty for a change last night. Its a mark of the respect that people have or Alex that they had such a great turn out. They even had Wayne Bennett on - the first time in 21 years.

I'm going to buy a Telegraph tomorrow, just so they have to chip in $1. It'll go straight in the bin, but its the least I can do.

Its also good for starting fires.

[Kingsgrove-Loiner]

Its also good for starting fires.

I might take it to the game with me....if today is anything to go by, I might need to light a fire to keep warm.

[bondi paul]

very commendable 20k from steggles charity nest

[redwhiteblue]

Agree with you 100% on Alex McKinnon. Its a truly gut wrenching thing that happened, but he is getting on with things better than I imagine most people would. The way he is handling himself is inspirational. I really hope he makes a recovery and walks again as is his goal.

Well done Alex. I will be out there on Sunday in support with my little ranga son!

Goodness I hope not. You will miss the game ..And KL, I will buy that rag too and take it to my hairdresser in the morning just so they have to do the chip for me too. Thanks for telling us otherwise I wouldn't have known.

[Jacks Fur Coat]

Alex McKinnon is just an amazing individual.

[Johnny.]

It was a terrible accident, the NRL actually responded halfway decently for once. While he'll never play footy again, I hope he can walk down the aisle when he gets married.

[rooster_booster]

Its great that Alex is being taken care of. Is Simon Dwyer also being taken care of now? Tuiaki? Yow Yeh? Player X 5 years from now? This money should be spent setting up a charity to take care of players who suffer career ending injuries.

I don't want to be 'that guy' but Alex could end up with millions of dollars to make his life comfortable. I just hope the same generosity is extended to others in the future the way it hasn't been for Simon Dwyer.

[Guest]

Its great that Alex is being taken care for. IS Simon Dwyer also being taken care of now? Tuiaki? Yow Yeh? Player X 5 years from now? This money should be spent setting up a charity to take care of players who suffer career ending injuries.

I don't want to be 'that guy' but Alex could end up with millions of dollars to make his life comfortable. I just hope the same generosity is extended to others in the future the way it hasn't been for Simon Dwyer.

I can understand your viewpoint, but there is a massive difference in some of the injuries. Yow-Yeh is just a very badly broken ankle. Life goes on for him. With Alex, it's going to be a battle just to be able to walk again.

on 360, Willie mentioned that Alex would donate the 250k from a 60minutes interview to a girl in his ward.

[rooster_booster]

I can understand your viewpoint, but there is a massive difference in some of the injuries. Yow-Yeh is just a very badly broken ankle. Life goes on for him. With Alex, it's going to be a battle just to be able to walk again.

on 360, Willie mentioned that Alex would donate the 250k from a 60minutes interview to a girl in his ward.

Oh thats brilliant. I have experienced a similar injury in my family and am aware of the costs involved so a quadraplegic person can live a life without worry and as independantly as possible. I don't want to dampen anything about Alex, what hes going through or the support everyone is showing. I just hope it doesn't end here.

Check out this article about Simon Dwyer. It truly is unacceptable.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1226902619156

[Johnny Tobin]

It's very touching what is happening this weekend. Alex is certainly amazing and he has a bright future (whether or not it is in a chair). I hope he gets a huge payment.

There are other players who had their career ended early because of injury and they get no support at all from the NRL or their club.

Our own Daniel Conn is one.

In considering options for such a player I discovered recently that they are specifically excluded from the Workers Comp Act and there is no insurance in place for them.

What an absolute disgrace.

The NRL, the clubs, the player managers and the pathetic players association should hang their heads in shame.

They give lip service to "player welfare" yet there is nothing in place for these situations.

It should not have taken this tragedy for them to finally take some action on this. All it needed was some common sense.

Reactionary fuuckwits giving a "job for life" to Simon Dwyer (after some press coverage) and this Rise for Alex effort are not what we need. There should have been insurance in place decades ago and it should be done urgently now.

[bondi-boy]

Better late than never.
...and, it might just highlight the deficiencies in the current system.

Has the NRL implemented a multi-million-dollar payout scheme for seriously/permanently injured players yet?

...so the said injured players don't have to be relying on charity and large and small "chook raffles" for their future security.

[chook 56]

In considering options for such a player I discovered recently that they are specifically excluded from the Workers Comp Act and there is no insurance in place for them.

Unbelievable in this day & age.