Mario Fenech

One of the undisputed greats of the game, Fenech - who was also a keen boxer - has given more to rugby league in Australia than most. The problem is, Fenech ...

And for future generations of children who love rugby league”. “If I gave you a normal brain and I gave you Mario’s brain, it’d be lighter. “There are times I get anxiety. Is it because he doesn’t care about us?’” The wedding today’. “So, gradually the neurons wither away in the brain. I don’t know why. He’s synonymous with the crash and bash of ‘Is he distant for some reason? Jeff has noticed a decline in Mario’s mannerisms even since his last scan. “And I wanted to make that a special day because it was probably the last time that maybe we’ll all be able to celebrate”. Right in front of you”.

Rugby league legend Mario Fenech and his wife Rebecca have opened up about his battle with early onset dementia in the hope that his plight will alert ...

“But in saying that I wouldn’t change a thing. “Rugby league in this generation is a lot more safer than when I played,” he said. “He’s in a constant repetition.” “CTE is a type of dementia so gradually your neurons wither away in the brain, there’s a loss of brain tissue due to the head knocks, the head injuries. Advertisement “He’s in advancing CTE.

Just three Only three former Footy Show stars remain contact with the South Sydney Rabbitohs legend, despite showing early stages of his demise while still ...

'I say to myself, enjoy every day I can. Mario Fenech (far right) was the constant butt of jokes and pranks on The Footy Show So I suppose it isolated him a little bit from those people.' 'Of course they are, there's been whispers around for a long time. Ms Fenech recalled how her husband revealed that he would come home 'p***** off' after being continuously mocked on the Footy Show and how resentful he was about his treatment on the show as comedic figure and an object of ridicule. Mario Fenech pictured with wife Rebecca - who has revealed her husband was resentful about continual ribbing on The Footy Show. Rebecca Fenech has opened up on the personal pain the taunting and ridicule on the show had on her husband of 30 years behind the scenes. Peter Sterling and Paul Vautin (pictured together) are among the few former Footy Show stars who have remained in contact with former colleague and opponent Mario Fenech Mario Fenech (pictured with his wife Rebecca and kids) has opened up about his battle with dementia [NRL](/sport/nrl/index.html) Footy Show, where he was relentlessly mocked and became the constant butt of jokes and pranks from the panel. The wife of former rugby league tough man Mario Fenech has revealed how former television colleagues have lost touch and abandoned him in the wake of his devastating illness, despite seeing early signs. Mario Fenech's wife reveals how the sporting legend has been abandoned by the NRL Footy Show after years of being ridiculed - as she details his heartbreaking struggle after being diagnosed with dementia

In a major 7NEWS Spotlight exclusive, former Rabbitohs captain Mario Fenech opens up to Michael Usher about his devastating diagnosis, this Sunday on ...

Also supporting Mario is his best friend of more than 30 years, former world champion boxer Jeff Fenech. In a confronting interview, Mario is joined by his wife Rebecca, who for the first time speaks out about the diagnosis she calls the “silent, lonely killer”, describing how she and their children, Bonnie and Joe, are coping with the loss of the old Mario. In a major 7NEWS Spotlight exclusive, the former Rabbitohs captain opens up to reporter Michael Usher about his devastating diagnosis, this Sunday on Channel 7.

South Sydney great Mario Fenech has opened up on his battle with CTE, a type of dementia triggered by repeated head knocks during his playing career.

Cancel anytime.

Mario Fenech's battle with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a type of dementia caused by repeated head knocks, caused the South Sydney great to forget his ...

I don't know why. There's a loss of brain tissue," she said. * I don't feel great'," she said.

Fenech's battle with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a type of dementia caused by repeated head knocks, caused the South Sydney great to forget his son's ...

I don't feel great'," she said. There's a loss of brain tissue," she said. I don't know why.

'Saddest story': NRL world urged to do more after cult hero's concussion revelation.

“I think that story last night was one of the saddest I’ve seen on TV. We allow players back seven days after they’ve been concussed,” Daley said. “He is now suggesting, he’s a senior Adviser to the NRL, that there has to be an automatic one week stand down for any player that suffers a bad concussion,” Rothfield said. “I’m really passionate now about getting on board and look it’s a great collision sport we’re never going to take out the contact and a lot of the things that happen on a rugby league field are accidents, but we’re going to lower the collision rate the harder we work on keeping tackles down.” “It was a tough old game in those days and the NRL have done a great job to clean it up but I think there’s more to be done,” he said. “I think one of the saddest parts of that story last night was the financial struggles the Fenech family is facing to get Mario the treatment he needs long term,” he said. “The collisions compared to when Mario played because of the sports science, because of the athletes, the power of the game we now have is probably even harder than what we had back then. That has been pulled back a bit but now there is an independent doctor that sits in the Bunker and can intervene during the game to send a player off for a head injury assessment if they show signs of a concussion. I think it’s a message not just to all of us in the media but the players and everywhere to really get behind the NRL’s attempts on the crackdowns and high tackles. “I’d really like to see them do more to ensure that Mario and his beautiful family are well looked after with what is a deteriorating condition and he’s going to need a lot of help.” “Mario is a very good friend of mine throughout his career and to see him struggling in the manner of which he is, it’s really sad,” Rothfield said. And now, veteran journalist Phil Rothfield has called on players and the media to get on board with NRL’s fight to lower the risk of head knocks in the game.