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Robbie O’Davis is a name etched into Newcastle Knights folklore. To the red-and-blue faithful, he’s better known as “Robbie O’Save-Us,” the fearless fullback whose blistering speed, courage under pressure, and game-changing brilliance helped define an era. Across more than 200 appearances for Newcastle, Robbie became one of the club’s most trusted match-winners, the kind of player teammates relied on and opponents feared.

His impact stretched far beyond club footy. Robbie represented Queensland in State of Origin and proudly wore the green and gold for Australia, placing him among rugby league’s elite. His list of achievements tells the story: two NRL Premierships, a Clive Churchill Medal, a Rugby League World Cup winner’s medal, the State of Origin Shield, and the Wally Lewis Medal—previously known as the Ron McAuliffe Medal—for player of the Origin series. Few players reach those heights, and even fewer do so with Robbie’s blend of flair, toughness, and heart.

Recognition followed throughout his career and beyond. He was named in the Newcastle Knights’ “Team of the Era” (1988–2007) and, in 2022, was inducted into the Newcastle National Rugby League Hall of Fame, cementing his place as one of the club’s all-time greats.

But like many athletes whose professional careers end long before the passion fades, life after football brought challenges that required just as much determination as his playing days. Retirement didn’t come with a roadmap, and navigating the transition demanded every bit of the resilience that made him a standout on the field. His story is not only about sporting success—it’s about identity, perseverance, and finding purpose

01:35 - Robbie’s Journey into Rugby League

08:20 - Robbie’O Grand Final Dance

12:00 - Athlete Mentality

16:10 – Robbie’s Broken Nose and Palate Injury

19:05 – Concussion Experience and Dad’s Influence

22:10 – Pressure of Playing for a Town Like Newcastle

26:00 – Repetitive Head Impacts, Concussions and Effects Post Career

32:25 – NRL Study and Independent Results

39:00 – Public Perception and Risk of Sport

46:00 – Thought on Family Playing Rugby

50:40 – Advice Through Lived Experience with Repetitive Head Impacts

58:00 – Favourite Moments/ Memories of Robbie’s Career

Robbie O Instagram: @robbieosaveus1

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Welcome back to Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast, today we have the honour and privilege to welcome Professor Robert Stern. Professor Stern is a Professor of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Anatomy & Neurobiology at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. As co-founder of the BU CTE Center and former Director of Clinical Research, he has spent nearly two decades pioneering ways to detect and diagnose chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) during life, while uncovering the long-term neurological impact of repetitive head trauma in former athletes. His ground-breaking work includes major projects such as the landmark DETECT and DIAGNOSE CTE studies, the Head Impact & Trauma Surveillance Study, and numerous investigations into biomarkers and diagnostic criteria for concussion and CTE. With more than 250 peer-reviewed publications, key advisory roles with the NFLPA and NCAA, and recognition such as the 2025 Leon Thal Prize for Research Excellence, Professor Stern is widely regarded as one of the foremost experts shaping modern concussion and CTE science.

01:50 - Dr Robert Stern’s Journey into neurology, neurodegenerative disease and Repetitive Head Impacts

08:00 - What Does Boston University CTE Do?

10:55 – Repetitive Head Impacts

15:45 – Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

19:35 – Dementia

23:25 – Neurological Disease’s and Clinical Testing In vivo

27:24 – Biomarkers, Diagnosis Dementia and Growth in the Field

35:00 – Nocebo Effect and Understanding/ Misunderstanding of What is Known

43:35 - Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome and Diagnostic Criteria

57:00 – Summary of Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome

01:02:00 – How to Help and Support Dr Stern’s Work

Professor Robert Stern:

https://www.bu.edu/cte/

https://www.bu.edu/cte/profile/robert-stern/

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=42mlewcAAAAJ&hl=en

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Welcome back to headfirst: A Concussion Podcast, today we have the honour and privilege to welcome Professor Bill Ribbans.

Professor Ribbans is a Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon and Professor of Sports Medicine, internationally recognised for his decades of work in elite sport and lower-limb orthopaedics. He trained in London, completed Fellowships in Sheffield and at Harvard, and began his Consultant career at the Royal Free before returning to Northampton, where he now works in full-time private practice.

A prominent figure in sports medicine, Professor Ribbans has supported organisations such as Northampton Saints, Northampton Town FC, the English National Ballet, Northamptonshire County Cricket Club, and UK Athletics—caring for Olympians, world champions, and international teams. Alongside his clinical practice, he remains actively involved in concussion research and athlete welfare, contributing to national conversations on head-injury management while supporting the safety-driven work of Progressive Rugby and Luca Health.

He has published more than 150 scientific papers and authored several books, including Knife in the Fast Lane, which blends autobiography with reflections on his 40 years working at the crossroads of medicine and sport.

01:50 - Professor Ribbans Journey into Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Surgery?

03:40 - Biggest Challenges Working as Team physician

07:33 – Is There an Over Emphasis on Return to Play Causing Increased Injuries?

12:35 – Return to Play Pressures

14:00 – Culture Around Injuries

16:51 – What is a Concussion?

19:47 – Process of a Head Injury Assessment (HIA)

27:15 – Advocacy’s for Youth Sports

35:10 – Implementation of Education Around Concussion in Youth Sports

43:10 – Advice for Parent and Coaches

49:30 – Most Rewarding Aspects of Professor Ribbans Job

52:10 – Where We Can Find Professor Ribbans

Progressive Rugby: https://www.progressiverugby.com

Luca Health: https://luca.health

Books:

- Knife In The Fast Lane : A Surgeon’s Perspective from the Sharpe End of Sport

- A Plague on All Your Sports: When Sport and the Pandemic Collided

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Welcome Back to Headfirst: A Concussion Podcast, today we have the honour and privilege to welcome Professor Christina Master.

Dr. Christina Master is one of the world’s foremost experts in paediatric sports medicine and concussion care. She serves as a primary care sports medicine specialist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), where she also co-directs the Minds Matter Concussion Program—a nationally recognized Frontier Program dedicated to advancing care and research in youth concussion.

A Professor of Paediatrics and Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine, and a member of the Academy of Master Clinicians, Dr. Master has been widely honoured for her contributions to the field. Her accolades include research awards from the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, Paediatric Research in Sports Medicine, and CHOP’s Joanne M. Decker, MD Memorial Mentorship Award.

With over 125 peer-reviewed publications and more than 8,000 citations, Dr. Master continues to shape the future of paediatric concussion care through ground breaking research, mentorship, and clinical excellence.

01:35 Journey into Paediatric Medicine and Concussion?

03:30 Concussion Over the Years and Addressing the Research Gap

05:40 What is a concussion and Differences Between Adult and Paediatric Populations

08:45 Impacts of Terminology and Language Around Concussion

11:50 Most common Ways Youth Population are Concussed

18:00 Listen to Child or Adolescence Regarding Symptoms of a Concussion

21:00 Signs/ Symptoms for Parents & Career Givers Regarding Medical Specialist Visit or Emergency Department

25:55 What’s Return-to-Play/Learn Look Like for Youth Population

35:30 Miss Conception About Concussion

39:50 Dr Master Research and How Can we Help/Support?

Dr Christina Master

Twitter/x @drtinamaster

https://www.chop.edu/doctors/master-christina-l

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=P3b3zh4AAAAJ&hl=en

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Today we have the honour and privilege of being joined by Dr Greg Hollin.

Dr Hollin is a research fellow in the Department of Sociological Studies at the University of Sheffield, where he explores the intersections of science, technology, medicine, and culture. His research focuses on areas such as neuroscience, concussion, CTE, biomimetic technology, and ethics. Throughout his career, Dr Hollin has received several major research awards, including the Welcome Trust Research Fellowship in Humanities and Social Science and the Welcome Trust University Award (2022–2027). His extensive body of work has been widely cited, with over 800 citations to date, and he is recognised as a highly respected figure in his field.

01:45 - About Dr Greg Hollin

03:40 - What is a concussion and Social Definitions

09:10 - History of Arron Hernandez

11:11 - Way Media Reporting on Hernandez, Concussion and CTE May Shape Discussions

16:00 – Narrative Around Brain Injury and Copiability

20:15 – Q-Collar, Woodpeckers and Commercial Interests In Animals

31:00 - What is Hard Knock Life: Negotiating Concussion and Dementia in Sport

37:00 – Where to Find Dr Greg Hollin and Support His Work

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=s1mkGeYAAAAJ&hl=en

Making a murderer: Media renderings of brain injury and Aaron Hernandez as a medical and sporting subject: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953619305933#bib16

Consider the woodpecker: The contested more-than-human ethics of biomimetic technology and traumatic brain injury: https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=s1mkGeYAAAAJ&citation_for_view=s1mkGeYAAAAJ:TFP_iSt0sucC

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We are joined by Professor James Smoliga, who serves as the Director of Research and Faculty Development for Tufts University's, Doctor of Physical Therapy program in Seattle. Professor Smoliga previously held the position of Associate Director of the Human Biomechanics and Physiology Laboratory at High Point University. He is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and was awarded the 2022 Guy Simoneau Excellence in Research Award. With over 175 publications that have been cited nearly 4,000 times, Professor Smoliga brings a wealth of expertise to our discussion.

In this episode, we explore the criteria for trustworthy research, the essential questions to ask, and how to apply these principles to proposed concussion mitigation devices such as the Q-Collar. We examine from a physiological and evidence-based perspective, why such devices are ineffective in reducing the risk of concussions.

07:05 – What is Research?

13:00 – Ramifications of Unethical Research

15:35 – Introduction, Proposed Method of the Q-Collar & the Flaws in These Studies

18:27 – Why the Altitude Proposal Does Not Work, the Scientific Reasoning, and the Demonstration of Data Interpretation

32:57 – Jugular Compression and Blood Flow

37:17 – Does a Woodpecker Have a Relationship with Concussion & the Q-Collar?

57:06 – The Increased Risk with Potentially No Benefit & How Did It Get FDA Authorized?

1:06:02 – Why Are We Resorting to Possible Protective Equipment for Concussion?

1:11:40 – Fun Research Projects by Professor Smoliga – The Taylor Swift Effect

How an FDA cleared “brain protection” device built on shaky science made it to the NFL: https://www.bmj.com/content/391/bmj.r2028

Dr Mu Yang Episode 55: Academic Research Sleuthing with Dr Mu Yang

Dr James Smoliga: Twitter/X: @jsmoliga

Pseudomedicine for sports concussions in the USA:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1474442219302509?via%3Dihub

Woodpeckers don’t play football: implications for novel brain protection devices using mild jugular compression: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/53/20/1262

Reconsidering the woodpecker model of traumatic brain injury: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1474442218301571?via%3Dihub

Team Logo Predicts Concussion Risk Lessons in Protecting a Vulnerable Sports Community from Misconceived, but Highly Publicized Epidemiologic Research: https://journals.lww.com/epidem/fulltext/2017/09000/team_logo_predicts_concussion_risk__lessons_in.17.aspx

You can find all Dr Smoliga’s publications here: https://facultyprofiles.tufts.edu/james-smoliga/publications?favouritesFirst=true&perPage=25&sort=dateDesc&startFrom=0

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Today, we’re joined by Associate Professor Kathleen Bachynski from Muhlenberg College. Her research explores injury prevention, sports safety, and youth health, examining how communities perceive brain injuries in sports—as accidents or preventable public health issues. She is the author of No Game for Boys to Play: The History of Youth Football and the Origins of a Public Health Crisis (2019), winner of the 2020 North American Society for Sport History Book Award, and a widely cited expert in the field.

(01:30) How Dr Kathleen Bachynski Become Involved in Public Health Ethics/ History?

(04:00) What is a Concussion

(05:20) What is CTE?

(07:20) History of Youth Football

(11:47) Historical View of Helmets in Football

(18:46) Media and Marketing of Helmets in Football Causing Confusion

(23:25) Start of Litigation on Helmets and Mix Messaging

(27:10) Chocolate Milk Preventing Concussion and Pseudoscience of Devices

(32:08) Consent and Ethics

(38:40) Actionable Steps to Make Football Safer

(43:15) Where Can We Find and Help Support Associate Professor Kathleen Bachynski

Kathleen Bachynski: Muhleberg College: https://www.muhlenberg.edu/facultysearch/facultyresults/kathleenbachynski/

No Game for Boys to Play: The History of Youth Football and the Origins of a Public:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com.au/No-Game-Boys-Play-Football/dp/1469653702

University of North Carolina Press: https://uncpress.org/9781469653709/no-game-for-boys-to-play/

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=4eagFpAAAAAJ&hl=en

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In today’s episode, we have the honour and privilege to be joined once again by Professor Tony Collins, who previously featured in Episodes 61 and 70. Professor Collins is a renowned historian and Emeritus Professor, widely regarded as a leading authority in the field of sports history. Over the course of a distinguished career spanning several decades, he has authored more than a dozen books and is a four-time recipient of the prestigious Aberdare Prize. His expertise has also been featured in major media outlets, including BBC Radio 4’s Sport.

(01:30) - Origins and History of The Ashes?
(03:10) - Why It Synonymous with Cricket Only?
(05:20) - How Was the Australian V England in Sports Built?
(10:40) - Biggest Historical Moments in Ashes Series?
(14:30) – The Cricket Bodyline Series
(16:21) – First Rugby League Ashes Series
(20:00) – Meaning of Beating Our Foe’s in the Ashes
(25:45) – Players picking Elegances
(29:17) – What Keeps the Ashes Alive?
(34:30) – Dr Tony Collin’s Favourite Ashes Moments
(44:26) – Cricket and Politics
(47:00) - Roy Francis: Rugby’s Forgotten Black Leader

Tony Collins:
x/twitter: @collinstony
http://www.tonycollins.org
Rugby Reload Podcast: http://www.rugbyreloaded.com


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Social media:
Twitter: @first concussion
Facebook: Headfirst: A concussion podcast
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Email: headfirstconcussion@gmail.com