State of Origin 2022 game 1: NRL clears NSW Blues over handling of Isaah Yeo HIA drama

The NRL has supported the NSW Blues medical team in their handling of Isaah Yeo after he stumbled back into the defensive line after the opening tackle in Origin I.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 08: Isaah Yeo of the Blues stumbles after being hit while making a tackle during game one of the 2022 State of Origin series between the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons at Accor Stadium on June 08, 2022, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

The NRL has cleared NSW over their handling of Isaah Yeo amid claims from Queensland star Cameron Munster that he was sickened by the sight of a stumbling Blues back-rower in the opening game of the State of Origin series.

Yeo suffered a head clash with Queensland prop Josh Papalii in opening tackle at Accor Stadium and appeared to lose his equilibrium, only to stay on the field and come agonisingly close to scoring a try in the dying embers that would have given NSW the chance to level the scores.

Queensland players, led by Munster, were critical of the decision to allow Yeo to play on, but the NRL head of football Graham Annesley on Thursday backed the NSW medical team and their handling of the incident.

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“As per standard practice after every game, the incident has been reviewed this morning with the NRL chief medical officer, Dr Sharron Flahive,” Annesley said.

“While there were indicators that could have supported a Category 2 assessment, the decision to have the team medical trainer conduct an on-field check did not reveal any signs that an off-field HIA was required.

“This decision was supported after a further check by the NSW team medical Officer, Dr Nathan Gibbs, at half-time and again at full-time, with the player not exhibiting any symptoms of concussion.”

Yeo staggers away after the attempted tackle. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Yeo is caught by teammate Tariq Sims seconds after the impact. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

NSW doctor Nathan Gibbs told The Daily Telegraph immediately after the game that he hadn’t seen a stumbling Yeo and the bunker failed to provide footage of the Blues back-rower battling to keep his balance.

Blues adviser Greg Alexander conceded on radio that Yeo should have been withdrawn from the fray for a head injury assessment and Munster said he was stunned that Yeo was allowed to stay on the field.

“To be honest, I was going to go and see if he was alright,” Munster said.

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“I was going to run over. Then he started stumbling going back to the line. It wasn’t rocket science. You could have seen he was unwell.

“It makes me sick. Someone has to put their hand up and take responsibility for it — it is not on. We have been speaking about it for years and years and the welfare of our players.

“It is not ideal but, at the end of the day, it is someone’s life as well. You don’t want him to get old and have dementia.”

Munster was forced from the field in the second game of the 2020 series after a head knock and memories of that incident came flashing back as he watched Yeo stumble.

“I think I had something similar in 2020 in game two were I stumbled,” he said.

“Unfortunately, if you stumble after getting out of a tackle, it is automatic. I know it is an Origin game and are always whinging and whining about head knocks.

“But someone has to take a stand on it. I know he is an integral part of their team and they didn’t want to lose him but that is what happens in footy.

Cameron Munster was forced from the field for an HIA in 2020. Picture: Supplied

Cameron Munster helped up by Dane Gagai of the Maroons during game two of the 2020 State of Origin series. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“It is a contact sport. Someone needed to take him off. There is that movie about concussion and no one knows (the damage) until you pass away.

“For us as a game, it is not a good look for kids.”

Yeo insisted after the game that he was never knocked out and he was cleared on field by trainer Travis Touma after the doctor in the bunker had referred the incident to NSW officials as a category 3.

That left the decision in the hands of NSW officials. Gibbs insisted afterwards that he was only shown vision of the initial contact between Papalii and Yeo – had Yeo been ruled to have stumbled, he would have been forced to leave the field for a head injury assessment.

“At ground level it is hard to see because people are in your line of sight,” Gibbs said.

Isaah Yeo played on after his early stumble. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“We were asked to come and talk to the bunker doctor and view the incident. He showed us the point of contact and the bunker doctor, who knows what he is doing, has all the camera angles and said it was a category 3, go and check that he is okay with an on-field assessment, which we got our trainer to do.

“He reported he was fine, he played the whole game out with no ill-effects. The bunker doctor made a call and we responded to the bunker doctor’s call.”

Asked about vision that suggested Yeo stumbled after contact, Gibbs said: “I still haven’t seen that. They show us what they choose to show us.

“The bunker doctor is controlling that. It is their call – not ours. That is how the system works well. We’re not concerned about that aspect of it. The people who have all the camera angles can make a better call. In the end, they make the call.”

Yeo added: “It was obviously a big one on Papalii there, but I felt fine. I remember everything, I just lost a bit of balance.

“When you’re knocked out, you don’t remember anything and I remember absolutely everything. I remember the play [making contact with] the wrong shoulder, all of that sort of thing. It was all good. The head feels fine, no stress.”