A rugby league concussion casualty is teaching young stars how to avoid the brutal head knocks that ended his once-promising career.

Former Northern Pride prop Will Bugden has joined his former Queensland Cup side as tackling coach this pre-season after being forced to retire following a spate of heavy hits.

The son of former New South Wales legend Geoff Bugden joined the North Queensland Cowboys feeder club's mentors in November and has since started taking regular sessions each week.

Will Bugden's focus as Northern Pride tackling coach is helping rising rugby league stars to avoid the head knocks that curtailed his career. ( ABC Far North: Brendan Mounter )

Correct technique was a key emphasis for the former Queensland Residents star who believed he suffered more than 20 concussions before retiring last season, aged 25.

"Because I've got a football background with some jiu-jitsu knowledge, I can tie them together so that it makes sense," Mr Bugden said.

"Tackling is one of those things that's hard to teach.

"But I get the boys a couple of days a week and take them through all the steps, communication, where to grab, then we do some floor work and go from there.

"We've experimented with incorporating Brazilian jiu-jitsu [into our program]."

While the NRL estimates around 110 concussions are sustained by professional players each season, less is known about their prevalence at the semi-professional level.

Playing career cut short

Sadly, for Bugden, the head knocks started as a junior and progressively got worse throughout his career.

Will Bugden was on the cusp of making the big time before concussion prematurely ended his playing career. ( ABC Far North: Brendan Mounter )

"There were probably three or four times a year where I had no idea what was going on since about 16 or 17," he said.

"They reckon two or three is meant to be life-long brain damage, so I was getting more than that every year."

Following his retirement last August, the former front rower was approached by the Pride's strength and conditioning coach, Scott Callaghan, to play an off-field role this pre-season.

Since then, Bugden has taken ownership of the Pride's tackling program — an area the club admitted it must improve.

"Will came to us with a plan and week-by-week it keeps getting better and the boys have loved it," Mr Callaghan said.

"He's straight up, but he has a laugh and a joke too.

"He's probably not as angry as some of us older blokes, which helps."

As players jostle each other to the ground during drills, Bugden's primary focus was on players' heads through each phase of a tackle.

When one player lowered his knees and attempted to lead with his crown, the new tackling coach quickly intervened.

"You'll get knocked out like me and retire when you're 20 that way," he quipped.

Clear and concise communication at training was vital.

"Footballers are like naughty kids at school. As soon it stops making sense their attention is gone," Bugden said.

'Active' recovery vital

Brain Room founder and performance coach Rob Gronbeck said amateur sportspeople often returned to the playing field too soon.

"Athletes can really suffer from the lack of activity and social support," Mr Gronbeck said.

Performance coach and Brain Room founder Rob Gronbeck believes physical activity can play a role in helping athletes recover from concussions. ( Supplied: Meaghan Confait )

"That's tough and there are cases of people who have really suffered post-concussive syndrome.

"It only happens to about 5 to 10 per cent who suffer concussions but, typically, they can really struggle with lights and sounds and their lives can be turned upside down."



While rest was important, Mr Gronbeck believed gradually increasing activity in consultation with health experts could ease symptoms.

"People used to have a stroke and they'd lose the use of half their body," he said.

"Then, they'd just lie in bed and what they found is that they would lose all function.

"Whereas if they get up and moving straight away … the [improvement in] recovery has been dramatic.

"With concussion, it is a case of using the right amount that the body can endure then gradually increasing.

"The concern is when people withdraw and they're just in a chronic state of pain and torment."

Tackling life post-concussion

Despite still being able to work full time on top of his sporting commitments, Will Bugden said the heavy hits he copped as a player have had a lasting impact.

This year, he plans to quit alcohol and adopt a 'cleaner' diet with fewer processed foods.

"Quite often, at work, I'll go from one room to the other and forget what I went there for. But my concentration is getting better," he said.

"The headaches have stopped, but some days I don't remember what I've done."

Helping other players avoid the head knocks he suffered made him excited about the second chapter in his football journey.

"I'm studying to be a personal trainer and I'd really love to take over a strength and conditioning role at a club at some stage," he said.

"As far as helping people while seeing results, I think it's a rewarding job. I reckon that'd be cool for me. I left home when I was 17 to play football and train every day.

"All I am is a footballer. It's all I've ever done. It's all I've ever known, really."



The Pride will play the Tweed Head Seagulls in the opening round of the QRL season on March 15.