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Henry Perenara played over 70 matches in the NRL at club level and also represented New Zealand internationally. Following his playing career, he transitioned into officiating, making his first-grade refereeing debut in 2011. He went on to officiate more than 200 matches, including international fixtures such as the Four Nations and the Rugby League World Cup.

01:10 - Henry Perenara Journey into Rugby League

05:10 – Hardest Part Transitioning Form a Player to Referee

11:00 – Man Management of Players and the Media

13:10 – What Was Expected of a Referee Regarding Player Welfare

16:10 – Difficulty of Making Split Second Decisions

20:00 – Transitioning from Two Referee’s to One in Covid-19

25:50 – Impact and Toll of Covid-19 Season

32:15 – Differences Between Refereeing Club vs World Cup

37:05 – How Does the Bunker Work

40:36 – Favourite Moments as a Player and Referee

42:45 – Henry’s Heart Condition and Where to Find Him

Henry Perenara

https://www.smartmove.com.au/our-team/henry-perenara/

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Welcome back to Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast, today we have the honour and privilege to welcome Chris Cannon.

Chris is the General Manager of M2MMA, a combat sports organisation using artificial intelligence to improve athlete wellbeing across physical, psychological, and financial domains. A key focus is reducing major risks in the sport—particularly weight cutting and concussion (mild traumatic brain injury), which is the focus of today’s discussion.

01:14 - Chris’s Journey into M2MMA

05:50 - What is M2MMA & How is AI involved?

08:52 – What Data is Being Collected?

13:40 – Protection of Data

14:50 – Athlete Perception’s to Data Collection

18:00 – Examples of Data Collection

20:40 – Understanding the Whole Issue

26:45 – Outside Perception on AI Tracking from Other Sports

30:45 – Chris’s Favourite Sporting Moment and Moving Forward in Sport

M2MMA:

Website: https://m2mma.com

IG: @m2mmaofficial and @cccannon10

Facebook: M2MMA Official

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Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com

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Dr McManus is the Medical Director of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, overseeing world-class competitions including MotoGP, motocross, and superbike racing. He also leads the FIM International Medical Commission, driving global standards in medical care and rider safety.

With a background in sports and emergency medicine, Dr McManus is a key figure in advancing injury surveillance and concussion management in high-speed motorsport, helping shape best-practice care for elite riders worldwide.

01:30 - Journey into Medicine and Motorsport’s

04:00 - What is FIM?

07:10 – History of Concussion Guidelines in Motorsports

10:55 - What is a concussion and Significance?

16:30 – Acceptance of Concussion Policies Amongst Athlete's

18:40 – Publishing and Implementation of Concussion Guidelines

26:00 – When to Respect Autonomy and When to in Force Protocol

33:45 – Removal from the Track for An Assessment

39:40 – General Things We Should Know About Motorsports and Concussion

FIM: https://www.fim-moto.com/en/

Guidelines https://www.fim-moto.com/en/news/news-detail/article/fim-launches-motorcycle-sport-specific-concussion-assessment-and-management-guidelines

Professor Jon Patricios – Concussion in Sports Group: Episode 65

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Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com

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Tom had an outstanding junior career, winning state championships for Western Australia and multiple league best and fairest awards. He was drafted to St Kilda in 2010, spending three seasons at the club and playing with Sandringham in the VFL.

He later returned to WA, becoming a key player for Claremont over eight seasons in the WAFL.

Off the field, Tom completed a law degree and now works as a Special Counsel at Pragma Lawyers in Perth.

01:30 - Journey into Sports and Experiences of the AFL Draft

04:50 – Process Once Drafted

06:30 – Experience of Being In ‘AFL System’ and First Game

08:12 – Comparison of AFL to State Level

10:28 – Head Injury Assessment and Experiences

12:50 – Confounding Factors of Playing Through Injuries

14:40 – Attitude Now Towards Concussion Now

15:55 – Changes in Playing Style

17:47 – Perception Changed on Concussion?

19:50 - Favourite Memories of Career

21:50 – Transition from AFL to Everyday Life

23:00 – Where to Find Tom

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Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com

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Natasha is a registered physical therapist with more than a decade of clinical experience. She holds degrees in Health Science and Kinesiology, along with a Master’s in Physical Therapy from the University of British Columbia. Over the course of her career, she has developed specialised expertise in concussion recovery, neurological rehabilitation, chronic pain management, vestibular therapy, and functional neurology. She is the founder of Symphony Brain Performance, a clinic that has become a sought-after destination for individuals seeking specialised care for concussion and brain health. Natasha’s innovative work has earned significant recognition, including Canada’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Physiotherapist Leadership Award of British Columbia, and Vancouver Island’s Top 20 Under 40 Business and Community Achievement Award. She has also recently been nominated for the Women of Influence Award. In addition to her clinical work, Natasha is the founder and host of the Concussion Nerds podcast and program, where she shares insights and conversations focused on brain health, concussion recovery, and performance.

01:35 - How Natasha Become a Physical Therapist

05:30 - Integration into Concussion Rehabilitation

12:50 - What is a Concussion?

16:40 - What are the Phenotypes of Concussion?

22:00 - Approach in Treating Concussion/ Misconceptions

30:00 – Psychology and Terminology of Concussion

37:35 – Myths Around Concussion

42:55 – Rewards of Natasha’s Job

44:30 - Where Can People Find Concussion Nerds and Natasha

Concussion Nerds – Natasha Wilch

https://www.natasha-wilch.com/concussion-nerds

Podcast: The Concussion Nerds Podcast – Spotify/ Apple

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natasha.wilch.concussioncoach/

IG: @natash.wilch & @concussionnerds

YouTube:

@NatashaWilch-ConcussionNerd

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**This Episode is a Re-Release from Late 2024, information may have change since recording**

Welcome back to Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast. Today, we are privileged to have Dr. Jason Chan join us. Dr. Chan recently retired after a distinguished 10-year tenure as the Chief Medical Officer for the Melbourne Storm, where he oversaw the medical management of the team during an era marked by remarkable success. Under his leadership, the Storm appeared in five grand finals, securing two premierships and five minor premierships. Dr. Chan’s tenure also included overseeing nine preliminary finals and managing a total of 249 games. Despite his retirement from the role, he continues to contribute to the club as a medical consultant.

Dr. Chan holds the distinction of being the longest-serving Chief Medical Officer in the history of the Melbourne Storm. Beyond his role with the Storm, he has applied his expertise in various high-profile positions, including with the Queensland State of Origin team, the NRL Māori All Stars, and the Sunshine Coast Lightning Netball team, among others. He is also the founder of the Surgical Assistants Group of Victoria.

With over 28 years of experience across multiple specialties, including general practice, orthopaedics, and general surgery, Dr. Chan is widely recognized as a highly regarded medical professional within the sporting and medical communities. His diverse experience and contributions to the field make him an invaluable asset in the areas of sports medicine and team health management.

01:34 - Background and the Role of Chief Medical Officer

05:47 - What Happens with An Athlete in Pre-Season & Baseline Testing

12:23 - Time to conduct a HIA and Make a Clinical Decision on Game Day

20:00 - Player Repour on Concussion Diagnosis

23:00 - HIA’s and Recovery Process of Concussion

27:20 - Perceptions of the Media

30:35 - Multifaceted Aspects of Culture and Public Acceptance of Concussion

38:17 - Over Arching Message

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Welcome back to HeadFirst: A Concussion Podcast. Today Back by popular demand, we’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Stephen Townsend. A Lecturer and Research Fellow at Queensland University’s School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, Dr. Townsend is a leading voice in sport social studies and concussion history. His acclaimed book Head in the Game explores the cultural and social history of concussion in sport—and sets the stage for today’s conversation.

01:30 - Head in The Game: Sociocultural Analyses of Brain Trauma in Sport

04:35 – Sociology of Concussion in Sport

08:35 – Main Message of ‘Head in The Game’

14:30 – Sport/ War Nexus; Why Do We Always Compare the Two?

20:50 - Punch-Drunk Murderer: Boxing, Brain Trauma, and the Murder of Hilda Meek

34:55 - Cricket Is a Contact Sport

46:40 - Favourite Aspects of Researching History

Dr Stephen Townsend

Twitter/X: @historycarb

Instagram: @headknockhistorian

Linkedin page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-townsend-446369b3/?originalSubdomain=au

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In this episode, we’re honoured to be re-joined by Professor Amanda Ellison who disced all things about the brain and headaches on episode 92, Splitting: The Inside Story on Headaches

Professor Ellison has published more than 80 peer-reviewed papers, earning close to 3,000 citations, with research spanning visual neuroscience, sensorimotor systems, and neuronal disruption in conditions such as migraine and headache disorders. Her work provides valuable insight into how the brain functions—and malfunctions—following injury or dysfunction.

Alongside her academic research, Professor Ellison is a passionate science communicator and the author of Getting Your Head Around the Brain and Splitting: The Inside Story on Headaches, two widely respected books that translate complex neuroscience into accessible, real-world understanding.

02:00 - The Love for Action Potentials

04:20 – What is Neuron and Why are the Special?

07:30 – It Does Not Like the Text Book

11:00 – What is an Action Potential and What is the Physiology Behind it?

24:30 –How Neurons Communicate

29:35 - The Story of Camillo Golgi and Santiago Ramón Cajal

34:35 – Chemical Signals of Action Potentials

43:50 – Mitochondria, ATP and Sodium Potassium Pumps

47:00 – Conceptualizing it All

54:10 – Fatigue, ATP and mTBI

59:00 – Calcium’s Role

01:08:54 – Favourite Thing About Professor Ellison’s Work

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=-z_DSs4AAAAJ&hl=en

Splitting: Inside Story on Headaches (https://www.amazon.com.au/Splitting-Inside-Headaches-Amanda-Ellison/dp/1472971396)

Getting Your Head Around The Brain: https://www.amazon.com.au/Getting-your-head-around-brain-ebook/dp/B09HZ9FVSR?ref_=ast_author_dp

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Twitter: @first concussion

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Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com