After his career was cut short by a series of devastating injuries, PJ Marsh has emerged as a strong advocate for mandatory concussion education.
Drawing from his own harrowing experiences (including concussions, chronic pain and multiple surgeries), Marsh is calling for independently delivered annual training for players, coaches and officials across high-risk sports.
Now 44, Marsh continues to battle the lingering effects of his playing days, which include symptoms consistent with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
โDoctors always talk about memory loss, and my mood is sometimes up and down,โ Marsh told the ABC, acknowledging how exercise helps him manage his symptoms.
โObviously, I've come to a place where I can understand it.โ
Reflecting on his NRL career with the Eels, Warriors and Broncos, Marsh highlighted the contrast between past and present concussion protocols.
Former QRL administrator Rob Crow sings from the same songbook.
โYou hopped up and shook your head and got back into it,โ he described of an era when head injuries were often overlooked.
Today, stricter guidelines sideline junior players for 19 days and seniors for 11 days following a concussion, a change Marsh views as progress but insufficient on its own.
His advocacy aligns with calls from Concussion Australia CEO Brendan Swan, who argues for education to be conducted independently of sports organisations.
Marsh's concerns aren't just professional, they're personal.
Initially hesitant to let his sons play rugby league due to its risks, he has since embraced their passion, with 18-year-old Braelan now contracted to the Dolphins.
โYoung people need to understand the seriousness of concussion, the seriousness of injuries, the seriousness of mental health and self-care,โ Marsh said.
