Former Manly Sea Eagles prop Lloyd Perrett has lodged a discrimination claim with the National Rugby League (NRL) club’s internal tribunal. He contends that gross negligence while he was participating in an Army-sponsored training session in 2017 ended his career. The incident that occurred at the Narrabeen Sports Complex has raised significant concerns about player safety. It further points to the responsibilities professional sports teams should have.
On the morning of November 6, 2017, Perrett jumped into a brutal training session. After warming up, he rolled into two back-to-back 2km time trials under the hot sun. Throughout this tour, it was in the midst of one lap of the third time trial that he collapsed unconscious on the road. His lawyers contend that Perrett was deprived of basic access to hydration. They further allege that he was denied water and/or other fluids throughout the training. The next heat-related collapse knocked him out and sent him to the hospital.
Perrett’s injuries were life-threatening, so much so that he later on referred to himself as in a “comatose” state following the crash. He was ultimately diagnosed with level 4 severe heat stroke. His memory of the incident is fragmented as he only came to at Mona Vale Hospital.
“During the third time trial, Lloyd collapsed and his next memory was waking up in Mona Vale Hospital with a diagnosis of severe heat stroke.” – Peter Carter
Perrett arrived at Manly on a bigger-money, three-year deal – $500,000 a year. It was a massive move in his career, after debuting for Canterbury in 2014. He had previously been listed, too, as part of the Queensland emerging Origin squad in 2016 and 2017. The development caused his early professional rugby league career to be derailed. To compensate for his lack of speed, he injured himself, requiring an early retirement at the ripe age of 24.
The legal claim states that Manly owed Perrett a “non-delegable duty of care” and that it had not met this required standard. Perrett’s legal team claims the club did not take steps to protect players’ health and mental state. They argue this abandonment is due to lack of access to hydration while training.
In fact, after the incident, Perrett suffered severe emotional suffering. As his physical health deteriorated, so too did his mental health, with a steep increase in anxiety and suicidal ideation.
“I became much more anxious (afterwards). I was even suicidal at points.” – Lloyd Perrett
He further expressed the depths of his despair, stating, “If it wasn’t for my parents, I would have taken my own life. I considered myself to be worthless.”
The lawsuit follows increased pressure on NRL clubs over player welfare, and the processes surrounding training camps. The ongoing challenges of professional athletes competing under extreme physical duress make protecting the health, safety and welfare of those competitors a top priority.
