NRL 2022: NRL clears Bulldogs of wrongdoing in round one HIA incident
The NRL has handed down its verdict over a HIA incident involving Jeremy Marshall-King from the opening round.
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The NRL has cleared the Bulldogs of any wrongdoing over a HIA incident involving Jeremy Marshall-King from the opening round.
In the wake of a ‘please explain’ request from the NRL, Canterbury management were able to provide a detailed response and explanation for why Marshall-King needed a head injury assessment with nine-minutes remaining in the Bulldogs two-point victory.
Replays had shown the Canterbury hooker clutching at his shoulder for more than sixty-seconds prior to the Bulldogs orange shirt trainer tapping his head; the signal to the sideline that Marshall-King be taken off for a HIA.
After the match, Cowboys coach Todd Payten had vented his frustration over the amount of stoppages in the game.
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“Whether that (amount of stoppages) was deliberate on a couple of occasions I’m unsure, but certainly the game stopped when we had momentum more than a couple of times,” Payten said post-match.
However, the Bulldogs provided a detailed brief which illustrated Marshall-King’s head had collided with the boot of a Cowboys player while attempting a tackle moments prior to being taken from the field.
The case has been closed with the Dogs escaping any sanction.
“Our staff will always act in the best interests of our players in regard to health and safety,” Canterbury CEO Aaron Warburton said.
“We will continue to follow the protocols as set out by the NRL to make sure that player safety is paramount.
“The process that we followed in relation to Jeremy and the correct HIA process is a testament to that.”
ROBINSON: ‘WE DON’T CHEAT THE HIA SYSTEM’
Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson has hit back at criticism of his club’s handling of concussion, insisting he is at peace with the way they deal with their players and they are not a team that cheats the system.
Robinson’s staunch defence of his club came as NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo insisted the new concussion protocols were not a response to allegations that clubs and coaches are rorting the system.
Robinson and the Roosters were placed firmly in the crosshairs after seven-time premiership winner Wayne Bennett questioned their handling of star lock Victor Radley at the weekend.
Bennett launched a savage attack on NRL clubs over the code’s concussion protocols, accusing teams of failing in their duty of care to players suffering head knocks.
He also urged ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys to “take the clubs on” in the wake of controversial incidents involving Radley and Canterbury’s Jeremy Marshall-King.
Roosters powerbrokers were known to be furious with Bennett’s comments but Robinson was more circumspect when he fronted the media on Thursday.
“I am really at peace with the way that we deal with our players,” Robinson said.
“Whatever commentary there is around it, I know how we look after players, I know how we treat HIAs (head injury assessments), I know how we deal with players in game and after game, and over the course of their career.
“Usually you get fired up about this sort if stuff, but I am really calm because I know the way we act and the form is there that we look after our players.
“It was no different on the weekend. What I said after the games was clear – it wasn’t angry. We don’t need to change.
“We are not a team that cheats the system, we are not one of the reasons they had to change the rules. I am really at peace with what we did and we don’t have to change.”
The new concussion guidelines give an independent doctor in the bunker the chance to identify potential head injuries. The initial reaction has been mostly favourable, although there have been well-documented teething problems with the system.
Bennett endorsed the changes and said they would help the NRL combat clubs who were rorting the old system — the vast majority of coaches in a pre-season poll conducted by News Corp suggested the rules were being abused.
However, Abdo insisted the decision to involve independent doctors was about easing the burden on club medicos.
“It’s difficult to see how people can criticise what we are doing because all we are doing is thinking about how we can use technology and resources to better protect players,” Abdo said.
“The second point is this was not introduced because we thought clubs were rorting the system, or we don’t trust clubs or club doctors. Not at all. This was introduced in a collaboration between the medical advisory panel that the NRL has and club (doctors).
“What unfortunately people don’t realise is that the independent doctor is there to look for indicators of potential head injuries only, not to clinically diagnose concussion.
“They are not there to override or trump the club doctor. Thank of it this way – there is another set of eyes to watch the game. The decision to move a player from the field is a shared one. It is the most conservative view that will then be used.”
Robinson reiterated that neither Radley or centre Billy Smith were knocked out and both passed testing after the game. Both have had to be cleared by independent doctors this week but are expected to play against Manly on Friday night.
As for Bennett, Robinson was reluctant to get into a slanging match.
“He is like everyone else watching the game and having an opinion,” Robinson said.
“His standing in the game is quite large which is why you are asking about him. As I said, that doesn’t affect me in the way I feel about the way that we deal with our players.
“We always look after our players. They know that.”
CLUBS FUMING OVER BENNETT’S CONCUSSION CALL
-Brent Read, Michael Carayannis, Peter Badel
Wayne Bennett has opened old wounds with the Sydney Roosters as officials at the club seethe at comments from the seven-time premiership winner insinuating that they have flouted concussion guidelines.
Bennett launched a savage attack on NRL clubs over the code’s concussion protocols on Brisbane radio on Thursday might, accusing teams of failing in their duty of care to players suffering head knocks.
He urged ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys to “take the clubs on” in the wake of controversial incidents involving Roosters forward Victor Radley and Canterbury’s Jeremy Marshall-King.
Bennett double downed on Wednesday at a press conference to announce the Dolphins’ membership drive, urging head office to consider suspending doctors and trainers.
Roosters powerbrokers were reluctant to publicly slam Bennett on Wednesday, but they were fuming behind closed doors at the comments related to Radley.
The Roosters believe they have been as diligent as any club in the game when it comes to concussion, pointing out captains Jake Friend and Boyd Cordner had both retired due to concussion-related issues.
The club also sat five-eighth Luke Keary out for an extended period when he suffered head knocks.
Yet there is no love lost between Bennett and the Roosters given his stunning backflip more than a decade ago, when he committed to join the club but then changed his mind after the news leaked into the public domain.
The Bulldogs were also on the end of Bennett’s tirade over their treatment of hooker Marshall-King on Sunday night. The NRL has launched an investigation into the handling of the incident.
Bulldogs officials declined to respond to Bennett but confirmed they had received correspondence from the NRL and were compiling their response. Captain Josh Jackson, however, rubbished suggestions that the club was doing anything untoward.
Victor Radley/Billy Smith both ruled out for the game by independent Dr in bunker indicating they had displayed category 1 concussion symptoms. Change this year that indep. Dr can do this - previously could only suggest to club Dr that player needed to be assessed. pic.twitter.com/naWlgzsDyP
— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) March 12, 2022
“Player welfare is No.1,” Jackson said. “We have a great team that certainly look after us. Any decision they make, it has the players’ welfare in the front of their minds.”
Bennett made no secret where his allegiance lay when it comes to the new concussion guidelines, which give an independent doctor the power to dictate the removal of players for head injury assessments from the bunker.
“I‘m not going to blame the game for this, I’m going to blame the clubs,” Bennett told Triple M. “The game is trying to protect the game, the clubs are there to protect the players and I saw a number of incidents on the weekend that I thought were deplorable.
“Even the doctor in the bunker finally made the decision for them (the Roosters). I just can’t get over a couple of things that I saw. It’s because of what the clubs have done. They talk about this duty of care but none of them practise it.
“Look at Victor Radley, anybody who saw that incident knew he was knocked out, how he got knocked out, I don’t care. I’ve seen enough players go down with concussion.
“I thought ‘guys you have brought this on yourselves’. It won’t work. It (the bunker having power to rule on concussions) won’t make anybody happy at all.”
Speaking on Wednesday, Bennett reiterated his comments and called for the game to ban coaches and trainers if they transgress.
“What I believe is the NRL are doing the right thing,” Bennett said.
“The next step for the NRL is to make clubs more accountable.
“If you suspend a doctor or trainer, I guarantee you the clubs will stop manipulating the system very quickly. Personally, I wouldn‘t have an independent doctor in the bunker. I would make the clubs more accountable.
“It‘s way over the top that an independent doctor sitting in a bunker can tell me that a player can’t play anymore today. The doctors and people at the ground should determine that.
“The onus should be on the club, whenever there is a case to answer, the game doesn‘t hit the clubs hard enough. You only have to rub someone for three or four weeks and I can tell you, the other clubs will stop doing it.”
NRL INVESTIGATING BULLDOGS’S HIA RORT
The NRL are poised to request a ‘please explain’ from Canterbury officials over the removal of Jeremy Marshall-King from the field in the dying minutes of the club’s 6-4 win over the Cowboys last Sunday night.
Marshall-King was taken from the field for a HIA with nine-minutes remaining in the Bulldogs two-point victory.
This was despite the Canterbury hooker clutching at his shoulder for more than sixty-seconds prior to the Bulldogs orange shirt trainer tapping his head; the signal to the sideline that Marshall-King be taken off for a HIA.
Only moments before his omission, Marshall-King appears to injure his right shoulder in attempting a diving tackle on Cowboys backrower Jeremiah Nanai with just over 10-minutes remaining in the tight contest.
Fox Sports commentator Steve Roach pointed out the injury by stating during the call: “Marshall-King with a shoulder injury by the looks of it.’’
Head caller Brenton Speed added: “You can hear what the home fans think. They think it’s a bit of gamesmanship here to slow this down.’’
Co-commentator Shane Flanagan then said: “Now he’s undergoing a HIA test.’’
“I thought he was clutching his shoulder?”, Roach then quipped.
The NRL are set to ask for a detailed explanation from the Bulldogs as to the actual reason for Marshall-King’s exit from the game.
It comes in the wake of Cowboys coach Todd Payten venting his frustration over the mount of stoppages in the game.
“Whether that (amount of stoppages) was deliberate on a couple of occasions I’m unsure, but certainly the game stopped when we had momentum more than a couple of times,” Payten said post-match.
NRL head of football Graham Annesley wouldn’t comment on the Marshall-King incident.
However, Annesley did explain the process of club’s being summoned to explain why they are not in breach of NRL rules related to the interchange of players.
“We review any head injuries or claimed head injuries, we review them all internally,’’ Annesley said.
“And then we will often seek further information from clubs before we decide whether our rules have been breached or not.
“That process can take more than one day, so that review process is still being followed through.’’
Marshall-King has been named to start at hooker against the Broncos on Sunday night.
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