Knights v Cowboys: Early concussion to Granville, Taumalolo injury ignites 18th man debate

FIVE THINGS WE LEARNT: With Jake Granville’s early concussion forcing the Cowboys to play with 15 men, an 18th man for head knocks must be brought in.

Round 7 NRL Match between the NQ Cowboys and the NZ Warriors at 1300Smiles Stadium, Townsville, Queensland, Australia. Cowboy's Jake Granville. Picture: Wesley Monts/News Limited

WITH Jake Granville’s early concussion forcing the Cowboys to play with 15 men, the 18th man debate for head knocks has been reignited.

Here’s five things we learnt from the Knights-Cowboys clash.

1. The NRL needs to have an 18th man available for concussed players. The Cowboys lost Jake Granville to a minor concussion in the third minute. Last month he would have likely returned to the field but now he is automatically ruled out. The Cowboys should have been able to bring in an extra man to keep them at 17 players.

2. Newcastle players are confused about their game plan. They are in two minds as to whether to play wide and offload or take patient inside runs. Their confusion leads to simple errors.

WOUNDED COWBOYS SURVIVE KNIGHTS COMEBACK

3. While the Knights are in a slump and are in danger of being ranked bottom of the ladder, momentum matters more than ever this season as the Gold Coast and North Queensland have shown. One win can be turned into four easily.

4. Lachlan Coote has quietly become one of the NRL’s form players, just two months into his return from a serious knee injury. He is in the company of Brent Tate as players who have overcome serious and repeated injuries to maintain their talent.

5. Kurt Gidley had one of his worst performances in his decorated career. He needs to find a position and stay there. Sione Mata’utia also need to stop being shuffled between positions. Clarity is what the Knights need most.