Dean Lonergan says doctors are at the bottom of the cliff "cleaning up the mess" during organised events, such as Run It Straight. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
People are putting themselves at enormous risk of serious injury because they are taking multiple big hits to bodies that are often "out of shape", former Kiwi league player Dean Longeran says.
Controversy over the viral tackle game has heightened since the death of 19-year-old Ryan Satterthwaite on Monday.
His uncle, Pete Satterthwaite, has called for high profile sports stars and social media influencers to take a stand against it.
Former All Blacks Eroni Clarke and Steve Devine are among those who have been highly critical.
On Thursday Lonergan, a former boxing promoter and rugby league star, said he had seen Run It Straight clashes on social media and it soon became obvious to him the encounters were "not the smartest thing you could do".
When two men weighing around 120kg each bashed into other at around 25kmh, "what happens is this enormous kinetic energy is coming together. Bodies stop but brains keep going forward".
In sports there were similar collisions sometimes resulting in players being knocked out, Lonergan said.
However, with Run it Straight encounters, "you don't get the sheer size and force of what's going on and I think there's going to be potentially a lot of brain injuries come out of this and potentially lesser injuries, broken ribs, broken sternums, dislocated shoulders".
On social media, knock-outs were being celebrated even though men could be seen going into spasms and their arms were locking.
"I would certainly advise anyone not to do it."
Some would be tempted by the "alluring" cash prizes, Lonergan said.
Rugby and league players were conditioned for the physicality of their sport and were taught how to tackle properly.
Some of the Run it Straight participants were "out of shape" and their skill level was "through the floor".
Several were also tackling too high, raising the injury risk, Lonergan said.
While doctors were present for the organised events, "they're not at the top of the cliff, they're down at the bottom cleaning up the mess because the injuries have already happened when guys are getting knocked out".
Lonergan, who has been concussed three or four times and been knocked out once during his playing career, said participants were taking "big hits" and sometimes being knocked out multiple times.
"So the level of injury is through the roof. ... Sometimes you've got to protect people from themselves."
It was nothing like Bulrush that was popular a few decades ago because that was about avoiding physical contact, he said.
While there has been a call for prominent players to make their opposition known, Lonergan believed the responsibility lay with councils and the government.
However, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon ruled out any government action on Morning Report today.
He said influencers and adults promoting the trend needed to stop and rethink their actions.
Luxon said Satterthwaite's death was "an absolute tragedy".
However, it would not be practical for the government to get involved in introducing legislation to curb the activity.
"That's not practical but the point is common sense would say why would you participate?"
