In the wake of Tongan forward Eli Katoa’s bout of head knocks, which left the Melbourne Storm star hospitalised during the Pacific Championships, concussions – and subsequent medical protocols – are in the spotlight again.

Journalist Tianna Sadaj recently investigated the issue on a local level.

From grassroots to the NRL, players, coaches and experts revealed the realities of such injuries and what’s being done to protect the next generation.

Here is her second story in a three-part series:

For former Newcastle Knights legend Robbie O’Davis, rugby league was never just a sport.

It was a way of life.

From a young age, his father’s influence ignited that passion.

“My dad drew me to the game of rugby league when I was nine,” O’Davis recalled.

“I’d watched him play and even be part of the first-ever State of Origin side.

“One day I came home from school with a mouthguard, headgear and shoulder pads, and said: ‘I wanna play footy like you, dad’.

“His simple answer was: ‘Take all that stuff off your body and I’ll let you play a contact sport’.

“He believed that gear was a sign of weakness.”

That tough mentality shaped O’Davis’ career, one that saw him win two NRL premierships, represent Queensland in the State of Origin arena and wear the green and gold for Australia.

“I wore my heart on my sleeve as a small, 72-kilo player in a big man’s game,” O’Davis confessed.

“The highlight of my career was the 1997 grand final, scoring two tries and being named man of the match.

“The real moment that hit me came a few days later.

“I was sitting at a park watching a game of footy down at Wallsend… and I heard some kids calling my name.

“I looked over and saw six kids playing footy in the back yard, all pretending to be me.

“That was amazing.”

Living with dementia and CTE is something I’ve had to adapt to.

Robbie O’Davis

O’Davis’ playing era in the 1990s and early 2000s is often remembered as one of the most physically demanding periods in rugby league history.

“The physicality is exactly the same now,” he said.

“Back then our rules were from the chest up, and these days it’s from the chest down.

“It made us brave, tough units, but it was always going to make us sick in the end.”

During that time, concussion was not just misunderstood, it was almost ignored.

“Any knowledge of it was non-existent,” O’Davis said bluntly.

“The tougher you were, the better you’d celebrate at the pub afterwards.

“We knew our muscles could tear and our bodies would bruise, but we thought our skulls were too hard to get hurt.

“If you saw stars or got knocked out, you just shook it off.

“It was part of the game.”

Now, decades later, the consequences have caught up with him.

O’Davis lives with dementia and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

It’s a progressive brain disorder that developed through injuries, in his case, from collisions in rugby league.

It leads to a decline in thinking, memory and behaviour that worsens over time.

“Living with dementia and CTE is something I’ve had to adapt to,” O’Davis admitted.

“The hardest part is when I do lectures or talks.

“The emotions come up when you realise where you’re at in your life, even while trying to help others understand the damage.”

O’Davis said he found comfort in the community around him, especially among other former players who share his experience.

“Mark ‘Spud’ Carroll and I talk a lot about what we’ve been through,” he added.

“We’ve become spokespeople for other players.

“I’ve done a lot of self-healing too, but it’s tough.

“For example, my day job is being a delivery driver.

“I could deliver to the same address every day and forget that I’ve already been there before.”

O’Davis’ support network of family, friends and former teammates has been vital, but the toll has been heavy.

“Everyone around me knows about my condition and the symptoms that come with CTE,” he said.

“My past partners have struggled.

“When things start to go downhill, it’s hard for them to watch or want to be a part of it.

“Most run for the hills.”

Despite everything, O’Davis still supports his children’s involvement in rugby league.

But, only because he believes the game has evolved and protects players the way he wished he was protected.

“I have children who play, both boys and girls, and I let them because of the protocols in place now,” he said.

“If the game was played the way it was in my days, I wouldn’t only not allow my kids to play, but I would encourage everyone around me not to play as well.

“I think the NRL has it as right as they can.

“If it got any worse, people wouldn’t watch the sport.”

For more sports stories:

• The concussion conversation (Part 1): We were never taught about the risks
• Worst to best: Every NRL club’s season draw ranked
• Blue and gold reawakening: Lakes United builds for 2026

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