Warriors hooker Wayde Egan satisfied with NRL safety after Wally Lewis news

Warriors hooker Wayde Egan has expressed his sympathy for league legend Wally Lewis and gratitude to be playing in a “more careful” NRL era.

Lewis, who played 34 tests for Australia in a lengthy career spanning from 1978 to 1992, revealed on Sunday he was suffering from a neurodegenerative condition linked with dementia.

The 63-year-old told Australia’s 60 Minutes he had been diagnosed with probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and hoped it would help attitudes continue to change.

“For a lot of sports guys, I think most of us take on this belief that we’ve got to prove how tough we are,” Lewis said. “But we’ve got to take it on and admit that the problems are there.”

Egan, who has suffered from head injuries this season, shared his well wishes to Lewis and his family, and said he was satisfied the NRL had been tackling the issue with requisite care.

“It’s obviously very sad,” Egan said. “I know the NRL has brought in some really good protocols over the last few years which are looking after the brain, and I guess that shows what could happen if you do suffer brain injuries.

“I think the NRL is doing a pretty good job in the department of looking after the concussion protocols and stuff like that. It’s probably changed over the last 10 or 15 years as new studies have come out, and players are probably more wary these days that if they do suffer a knock it’s probably not wise to come back on.

“The club and the game as a whole is probably more careful these days, which is beneficial to the players.”

Egan has seen the benefits from that care. The 26-year-old has helped the Warriors reach third on the NRL ladder heading into Friday’s visit to the Titans, having overcome head-injury issues.

The Australian failed two HIA [head injury assessment] tests earlier this year, and despite clearing the NRL protocols in time to play the Storm on Anzac Day, was given an extra week off while missing the trip to Melbourne.

Egan said attitudes had changed before he began his six-year NRL career, and he was able to play free from concern over ongoing risks.

“You look back at the 90s and there was some crazy stuff going on,” he said. “It was before my time, but as I’ve come through the grades, it’s been pretty precautionary with stuff like head knocks.

“I wouldn’t say I’m conscious of it - it’s just a thing to be wary about if you do suffer one, to just come off the field. It’s a thing you do have to be careful of, but that’s the sport we signed up for.”

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission