‘We make no apology for our policy’: NRL boss backs doctors amid concussion furore

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NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo has told disgruntled clubs to get used to players being removed from the field for head injury assessments, making no apologies for a range of controversial decisions from the independent doctors.

While Abdo wouldn’t comment on specific events from the opening round, including contentious decisions to haul Kalyn Ponga, Kotoni Staggs, Jacob Kiraz and Sebastian Kris from the field, the NRL boss was adamant the system was here to stay.

“We’re not going to make decisions based on who is winning or losing or who needs to stay on the field for a team,” Abdo told the Sydney Morning Herald at the Dolphins’ first game at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.

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“These decisions on head injury assessments are going to be made on a players’ wellbeing regardless of the team, regardless of the score, regardless of the player. We have a policy, and that policy is about making sure we provide the safest possible environment for the players to play our sport.

“Our policy says that we have a combination of a club doctor on the field and an independent doctor using technology – both looking for potential head injury events. Not concussion, head injury events. We make no apology for our policy.

“We make no apology for the fact players will get removed from the field when they’re detected by one of these doctors for suffering a potential head injury event. We have a good, strong policy, and we’re not going to take a backward step on it.”

Broncos powerhouse Kotoni Staggs grimaces after a heavy hit during their round one win over Penrith.

Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Broncos powerhouse Kotoni Staggs grimaces after a heavy hit during their round one win over Penrith.

The Bulldogs will on Monday ask the NRL for a please-explain over the independent doctor’s decision to remove Kiraz from the field for an assessment.

Replays showed Kiraz’s head making contact with the head of Manly’s Kelma Tuilagi, but the Canterbury winger said there was no issue.

“They reckon I was knocked out. They said they thought I was a bit dizzy,” Kiraz told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“I was obviously pissed off. My physio came over and said ‘you need to get off, you need to get off’. I don’t know what vision they saw, but I was fine. Flanno (Kyle Flanagan) then got sin-binned, so they scored with 12 men down my side. It hurt us. There was nothing I could do.

“They’re obviously trying to look after us. It’s not their intention to pull me off to make us lose the game, but it was at a crucial time. It hurt me knowing I had to sit there when I was fine.”

It comes on the same weekend Raiders coach Ricky Stuart took aim at the NRL and its independent doctor over an incident which saw Kris removed from the field against the Cowboys on Saturday night.

“Do you think I’d let a player play if they had a concussion or is concussed?” Stuart asked.

“I don’t just trust the players’ comments when they come to the sideline in regards to that … When he’s (Kris) down getting his leg attended to and I ask him and there was no fatigue and no pain in his eyes in regards to when he came off, he was very coherent.”

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