LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
Manly has set out its defence in a $5 million lawsuit brought by former forward Lloyd Perrett, arguing any alleged injuries stemmed from his own negligence after he arrived at the start of pre-season out of shape and without a water bottle.
Perrett launched Supreme Court action last August, claiming he was placed in "a comatose state for two days" after a training session he says he never recovered from.
The statement of claim alleges Perrett suffered exertional heat stroke, a heat stress-induced seizure and psychiatric injury during running sessions at the Narrabeen Sports Complex on November 6, 2017, and that he was deprived of water.
Manly's defence contends players were required to meet fitness demands and that any harm flowed from a failure to prepare appropriately for those sessions.
The club says its program included three two-kilometre time trials and that Perrett collapsed on the third lap of his third trial.
Perrett's lawyers assert he now endures a suite of ongoing problems and say he has suffered "disabilities" including a seizure, poor heat tolerance, severe pain, fatigue and muscular degeneration.
They also allege impaired cognitive function, anxiety, moodiness and diminished kidney, liver and thyroid function.
The litigation claims the episode precipitated the premature end of his NRL career and amounted to "loss of future earning capacity".
Sources not authorised to speak publicly have indicated the former Junior Kangaroos co-captain and NSW Cup player of the year is seeking about $5 million in damages.