It just needs to be managed in a sensible manner.
The two rugby codes both have a physicality to their games that often result in knocks to the head and it is a concern for everybody. But I was very impressed with what Tew had to say on the matter.
His honest, uncomplicated answers offered a blend of safety for the player, balance of what was happening and a frank description of just how difficult it is to manage and protect the integrity of the game.
I've not heard comments as powerful coming from Tew's counterpart David Smith in the NRL. They are totally confused as to how to tackle the problem. Maybe he needs to sit down with Tew, have a cuppa and learn.
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But because of the head knock challenge that is facing both rugby and league at the moment I want to share a story with you about the great Kiwi second rower and captain of the 80's, Mark Graham.
And to this day I'm still not sure if I'm actually proud or ashamed of it.
The constant discussion around head knocks has really got me thinking back to some of the gladiatorial incidents many of my players were part of.
But, it was in a test match against Great Britain, Graham demonstrated a feat of courage I have not witnessed since.
In sharing this story I'm not trying to paint a glorious picture of a violent past in the history of the game, but this is how this particular incident happened while we were trying to win a test match at Headingly in Leeds.
Late in the first half of this test, Mark received a vicious elbow to the head in a gang tackle by the Pommie forwards and he was knocked senseless, as it used to be called. And he ended up wandering about not aware of anything that was going on.
The injury occurred just five minutes before half time. During the first thirty five minutes of the game he'd been carving them up and we were, against all odds, enjoying a narrow lead in the game.
But it was obvious that part of Great Britain's game plan was to try and get rid of Mark and at that time just about anything went, including the kitchen sink.
But anyhow, our medical team ran onto the field, had a look at the injury and immediately ruled him out for the rest of the game. But instead of allowing him to come off, I over ruled the medics and convinced him to stay on until half time.
Because I felt that if he came off at that time, part of the Great Britain mission had succeeded and it would be a physiological blow to us, and a boost to the Poms. I can hear the tut tutting of today's sports science coaches from here.
However, I think that in this era I refer to coaches did care very much about their players and I'd suggest there was a level of loyalty between coach and player not seen now, it was just different!
But anyhow, somehow Graham, did stay on the field for those five minutes until the half time hooter sounded. I then rose from the coach's dug out and walked onto the field to inspect the big second rower myself.
His face was a bloody mess, and as we found out later, he had suffered a broken cheek bone and a few missing teeth. I said to him that I knew the injury looked bad, but I needed him to lead the team back out in the second half.
His reply stunned me because he said he wasn't worried about the knock to his head, but something had snapped in his ankle.
Mark did somehow lead the team back out in the second half and I replaced him shortly after, but we won the test match. Mark had a broken ankle to go with his fractured cheek and missing teeth.
However, the game and the players mind set was different back then.
Mark Graham is the best New Zealand player I have ever seen and there have been some great ones. He was totally uncompromising of himself and his players and had a view that in test match, or in any game for that matter, the only way they could leave the field, was on a stretcher.
And All Black rugby has produced many similar players to Mark Graham such as Colin Meads and Buck Shelford with that uncompromising attitude, just to name a couple.
But everything is very different now and I accept that, however, I do think it is important to try and understand some of the reasons why there is such a difference and rugby boss
Steve Tew is doing a good job in getting people to understand this.
In the era I'm referring to, league players and coaches were paid for results and the difference monetary wise between winning and losing was very significant.
Today in the NRL, players and coaches are contracted to set fees no matter the result, so I do think just on that point alone, it is very hard to compare what was going on in years gone by.
The game of rugby or league has always produced some players with courage and bravery that set them apart from all others.
I was privileged to have Mark Graham in my various Otahuhu, Norths (Brisbane) and Kiwi teams.
I love the bloke. I just pray now, he doesn't suffer from too many headaches and also the countless bones he broke playing while I was his coach.
