Perrett’s action, in part, was inspired by former Sea Eagles teammate Keith Titmuss. A coronial inquest last year found Titmuss died of exertional heatstroke after a training session in November 2020 that was “more likely than not inappropriate”.

The coroner’s recommendations included that the NRL consider a graduated 14-day return-to-training program for players after extended breaks, such as the off-season, individual programs for players given their characteristics, and medical personnel on standby for sessions in which heat illness is a greater risk. Those recommendations came seven years after the Perrett incident.

“I spoke to an occupational therapist, and they said it’s survivor’s guilt,” Perrett told this masthead in May 2024.

“When I saw the ‘Keithy’ thing, it was the last straw. That was reaffirmed to me and told me, ‘You have to do this.’ It’s not about yourself, don’t worry about what people are going to say. You need to improve this for players in the future.’”

The lawyers acting for Perrett, Carter Capner, on Tuesday issued a media release declaring the front-rower’s career was ended by an “outlandish training regime.”

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Given Perrett was on a contract worth $500,000 a year at the time, and could have potentially had a decade-long NRL career, the claim amount is expected to be in the vicinity of $5 million.

“Given he was a very successful player at such an early stage of his career with arguably many good years ahead of him, the potential damages are well into the millions of dollars,” said Carter Capner director Peter Carter.

While McManus didn’t get the financial outcome he wanted, he felt his lawsuit still served a purpose.

“If anything [positive] has come out of it, there has been a microscope put on it, the risks are better communicated,” McManus said in 2021. “There is so much at stake.”

McManus felt it was all worth it because he brought attention to an important player welfare issue. Perrett has just done the same.

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