The Rugby League Players Association (RLPA) has released the results from its annual The Players’ Pulse survey, capturing the views and experiences of more than 800 NRL and NRLW players during the 2025 season on a wide range of game-related topics.
Amongst many eye-opening findings, concussions suffered at training were identified as a continuing blind spot in rugby league.
Concerningly, both men’s and women’s players suggested the issue is only increasing as more players suffering suspected concussions were continuing to train with their teammates without receiving the necessary medical clearances.
Looking at the specific results, 60 percent cent of NRL players who had suffered a suspected concussion said they had continued to train—an alarming 24% increase on 2024.
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Even worse, 38 percent cent of those players said they had felt external pressure to continue to train despite having concussion symptoms.
According to the RLPA report, concussion awareness is no longer the problem in rugby league but rather ensuring players, officials and clubs take decisive action when it happens.
“The challenge now lies not in knowing (about concussions), but in acting,” the report states.
“Particularly in environments where the pressure to perform, compete, and ‘push through’ is deeply embedded in team culture, often created and managed by people outside of the playing group.”
Top NRL workplaces revealed
For the first time, the 2025 Player Pulse survey also revealed the top four workplaces—aka clubs—for players in both the NRL and NRLW competitions as rated by their own players.
Top four workplaces for NRL players:
- Penrith Panthers
- Parramatta Eels
- Melbourne Storm
- Canterbury Bulldogs
Top four workplaces for NRLW players:
- Sydney Roosters
- Parramatta Eels
- Gold Coast Titans
- Brisbane Broncos
Details of the lower ranked NRL and NRLW clubs were not publicly released.