The Rugby League community has been rocked this week with reports that the former Knights star will be launching a lawsuit against the NRL and Jordan McLean.

Only a few years ago I worked as a sports reporter covering the Group 21 Rugby League. It was here that I was introduced to real Rugby league. The Group 21 in the Hunter Valley is in Rugby League’s heartland. This is a region that has produced some of the greats of the game.

The Aberdeen Tigers are one of the prominent teams of the Group 21 Rugby League, it’s where Alex McKinnon grew up playing his footy. The local oval McKinnon Field is named after Alex’s grandfather Malcolm who transformed a local rodeo ground into a venue fit for Rugby League.

This is a community that lives and breathes league and the McKinnon’s are the heartbeat. I was lucky enough to interview Alex during his first season with the Knights in 2012. I was talking to a young bloke who was living his dream.

You could hear the passion and excitement in his voice. His love for the game and pride for the Hunter Valley was obvious. Contrary to the online warriors yesterday who were suggesting he is “greedy” and “selfish”, this bloke absolutely loves the sport.

There is a real concern though that the result of the lawsuit against the NRL and Melbourne Storm’s Jordan McLean could have far reaching ramifications across all of Australia’s sporting codes.

McKinnon has thus far reportedly received the maximum $500,000 compensation payout from the NRL and around $1.2 million for his medical costs through fundraising efforts from the Rise For Alex campaign.

He has also been given a “job for life” by the NRL and currently works with Newcastle in the recruitment department. But it’s hard to imagine any of these things will go remotely close to paying for Alex’s cost of living.

Whilst the Rise For Alex Campaign was a great gesture that displayed some real generosity from fans, anyone who thinks the campaign is going to fund McKinnon’s lifetime health costs is living in la la land.

Furthermore as great as the “job for life” sounds, there is nothing on paper and again this really doesn’t provide McKinnon or his family with the security he needs.

McKinnon has previously expressed his concerns about how he is going to fund his cost of living.

“I had no idea how much this injury was going to cost,” he told the Nine Network in July 2015.

“I didn’t know until two weeks ago it cost $100,000 for me to get out of bed in the morning. I just need to know how much it is going to cost me, how much money I have and where I (am) going to get that money from.”

What has left a few people perplexed though has been the reported action against Melbourne Storm front rower Jordan McLean.

McLean was given a seven week suspension for his role in the lifting tackle on McKinnon. The Australian is reporting that the Melbourne Storm declined to comment when asked if the club would cover McLean’s costs of any court action.

From a fan’s perspective it seems harsh that a player could face legal action for making a tackle. The tackle was ugly but how many ugly tackles have we seen in NRL? In AFL? In Union? In Football / Soccer? Does this mean every athlete that has been the victim of an ‘ugly’ tackle can now sue? What player is going to want to make a tackle if they know in the back of their minds that they could be sued for doing so?

It really is a messy and complicated situation.

The one thing to keep in mind though is that Alex McKinnon is in a wheelchair. Never again will he be able to play the sport he loves or enjoy the quality of life he once experienced.

Before you jump on the public bashing of Alex McKinnon ask yourself this. If you got injured at work would you sue? AND do your legs work? — steve_philp (@steve_philp) December 18, 2016

The personal attacks that have been made on McKinnon since news of the legal action broke yesterday have been completely out of line.

Some of the comments re: Alex McKinnon today are nothing short of astonishing. Take some time out and put yourself in his position. — Paul (@paul_jobber23) December 19, 2016

Former Union star Peter Fitzsimons worded it well in his his opinion piece in the Sydney Morning Herald.

“McKinnon has lost the ability to walk because, figuratively, the way some of the heavy machinery in that industry was used, broke his spine. He has every right to test in the courts whether the industry and driver of said heavy machinery should have exercised more care in its operation. So good luck to him. He may win in the courts, he may lose. But who the hell has the right to say he shouldn’t pursue his rights, like everyone else is able to pursue their rights? Get off the bloke’s case.”

There are no winners in this situation.

Alex McKinnon is undoubtedly the biggest victim out of all this but let’s not forget Jordan McLean’s career and life will also never be the same again.

by Michael T. Lynch – contributor