Former Cowboys player Shaun Valentine has urged Boyd Cordner to re-think his future after the Blues skipper was concussed once again in last night's 18-14 loss to Queensland.
Cordner has had multiple concussions in recent seasons and seeing him go to the HIA bin sent shivers down Valentine's spine.
The 1990s Cowboys forward retired at 26 - two years younger than Cordner is now - after a series of head knocks during his career.
Valentine now suffers from constant headaches and memory loss and is working as a corrections officer in a Townsville prison.
"I fear for Boyd - I don't want him ending up like me," Valentine, now 44, told Wide World of Sports.
"He has been a great player for a long time but you don't realise the damage these head knocks do until years down the track.
"I have good days and bad days and I just accept it - it is what it is.
"But there is far more knowledge about the effects of concussion these days and I hope he heeds the warnings.
"He needs to think long and hard about his future.
"Once the damage is done - there is no going back - I am living proof of that.
"The doctors spelled out the risk to me and they didn't ban me, but I decided in the end it wasn't worth the risk.
"For me, it just wasn't worth it and I hope Boyd sits down with the experts and has a think about things."
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