HAS there ever been a more sickening sight, particularly one beamed all around the world, during a Warrington Wolves rugby league match?

To be honest, you would be hard pressed to see the scenes surrounding Simon Grix’s awful double leg fracture at Langtree Park last night replicated in any game, or in any other sport.

It was high drama for those watching at the game, seeing the instinctive reactions of players from both Warrington Wolves and St Helens waving for emergency help as it dawned on them that Grix was in serious trouble.

Warrington Guardian:

As the medics rushed on and efficiently got on with treating their patient in front of where the St Helens fans were stood, it was gut-wrenching at the other end for the Wolves supporters who know too well the injury nightmares that the highly respected and popular Ireland international has already endured in his time with the club.

For those watching live on TV or on replay after getting home from the game, the full horror of the situation unravelled as Grix’s body buckled under the challenge from Samoan man-mountain Mose Masoe with his left leg trapped underneath.

Grix’s screams and cries of pain could be heard through the microphone of referee James Child stood a few metres away.

Like at the scene of a major incident where there are casualties involved, people nearby reacted in all kinds of ways – and you never know how you will be affected until you are in that situation.

Warrington Guardian:

We saw players focused on flagging urgently for help, we saw players looking on stunned with jaws dropped, we saw players who had to turn away and cover their faces after being so sickened by the sight of Grix’s twisted leg – later we have learned to be a spiral fracture of his tibia and fibula that requires surgery today or tomorrow.

And we also saw two Australian brothers, perhaps tested by shared blood over the years to watch out for each other on the playing field, whose actions were incredible.

Joint skipper Michael, who has had more than his fair share of painful injuries in primrose and blue, dropped to his knees at Grix’s side to immediately console his teammate and let him know ‘I am here for you’.

Warrington Guardian:

And at the same time younger brother Joel Monaghan was also on his knees providing support to Grix’s leg to prevent it from further flopping aimlessly and potentially causing any further damage.

Clearly, no matter the instinctive reactions of these hardest of men, it hurt them all to see one of their professional colleagues in such a state of affairs.

Warrington Guardian:

Warrington Guardian:

Rugby league players know the dangers. They put their bodies on the line with every run and every tackle in this most gladiatorial of collision sports. But it still hits home when it happens in front of you.

And when that player is one of your brotherhood, someone who has saved your skin on the field and put his self preservation on the line for you at some stage, it must surely knock you for six.

For the Wolves players to regroup, get their heads back on the match and build up an unassailable advantage in the remaining minutes of the first half in those circumstances – as well as losing Michael Monaghan and Ben Westwood to injuries too during the same period – was a phenomenal effort. One of the greatest achievements I can recall in more than 40 years of watching Warrington Wolves.

It is no wonder at half time the players talked about getting back on the field and completing their mission in the name of their fallen comrades.

They did so with courage, they did so with style.

Warrington Guardian:

Warrington Guardian:

And while Warrington supporters will be rightly feeling for Grix, a man who missed all of Wolves’ recent Challenge Cup Final successes through injury, they should also be proud of the way every single one of his teammates reacted and earned the club one of its greatest ever victories away to one of its fierceest rivals.

Don’t ever anyone talk to me about overpaid, overrated and over-hyped Premier League footballers and the sport they play as they roll around on pitches, play-acting, diving, cheating, after the merest of contact (and in some cases no contact). Not in the same league as rugby league players.