NRL club claims player Keith Titmuss contributed to training death
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles respond to a lawsuit from the family of a player who died at preseason training saying he was negligent in his own death by not revealing he was out of shape.
The Manly Warringah Sea Eagles NRL club has defended itself in court, asserting that player Keith Titmuss contributed to his own death by not disclosing his declining physical condition to coaching and medical staff. The player's family is suing for damages, claiming negligence on the club's part. The 2024 coronial inquest determined Titmuss succumbed to exertion heat stroke, exacerbated by a pre-existing heart condition that likely did not play a substantial role.
Titmuss, a 20-year-old rugby league player, collapsed during pre-season training in November 2020, leading to his family's lawsuit against Manly Warringah. The club contends it was not responsible due to the player's failure to inform personnel of his worsening health. According to the club, players were instructed to notify coaching staff if they felt unwell or unable to handle the physical demands of training.
The club also asserts that a fitness test conducted four days prior to Titmuss's death found no alarming signs. This assessment took place at the Sydney Academy of Sport in Narrabeen, where the player underwent a grueling session, including outdoor sprint tests and an intense indoor cardio workout. The temperature during the session was approximately 21 degrees Celsius, but the humidity was a staggering 92 percent.
The club defended its decision, stating that the facility lacked air conditioning but had multiple floor-standing fans, open back doors, and enforced hydration breaks. The player's family, however, argued that the fans were not activated during the session, and that the precautions taken by Manly Warringah were insufficient to adhere to their heat policy guidelines.
The coronial inquest concluded that Titmuss died due to exertion heat stroke, with his pre-existing heart condition deemed unlikely to have significantly contributed to his death. The club's defense highlights the inherent dangers of NRL training, stating that any injury, loss, or damage suffered by Titmuss's family was caused or contributed to by the deceased's own negligence.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
