NRL 2021: Leading concussion expert describes NRL concussion testing as ‘fatally flawed’

As concussion continues to afflict rugby league, one expert believes Jesse Ramien needs to be made an example of with a season-long ban. Do you agree?

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 14: Players scuffle during the round one NRL match between the St George Illawarra Dragons and the Cronulla Sharks at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, on March 14, 2021, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

One of Australia’s leading concussion experts says the NRL should be banning Cronulla centre Jesse Ramien for the rest of season after striking St George Illawarra’s Matt Dufty with a “coward punch” in Sunday’s fiery season opener.

The founder of Neurosafe, a charity dedicated to the elimination of preventable head and neck injuries, Dr Adrian Cohen is campaigning for the NRL to drastically increase suspensions for incidents like that involving the Sharks No.4, who was sin binned for 10 minutes and has since been charged with a reckless high tackle over the Dufty hit.

A driving force behind the Australian Brain Bank, Dr Cohen is also demanding the NRL overhaul its Head Injury Assessment (HIA) protocols, describing the tests that allowed Dufty back into the game, and also saw NSW captain Boyd Cordner controversially return to play in Origin I last November, as “fatally flawed”.

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Ramien gets 10 minutes in the sin bin for the hit on Dufty.

The Ramien hit could see the 23-year-old suspended for three weeks with an early guilty plea, but Dr Cohen said it wasn’t enough.

“Every time I look at that footage I’m sickened,” Dr Cohen said.

“Matt Dufty has been hit with a swinging arm to the back of the head, and while other players are holding him.

“Seriously, what part of effecting the tackle does a swinging arm to the back of the head have?

“It’s not like (Ramien) was trying to wrap up the ball, or trying to put him to the ground.

“The guy has physically assaulted him.

“Out on the street … it’s called a coward punch, and with good reason.

“So if you’re going to get tough on foul play, this guy should be banned for a season. Or six months. That sends a message, right?”

The hit that ‘sickened’ a leading concussion expert.

Dufty is laid out by Ramien.

Apart from urging significant action against Ramien, Dr Cohen also questioned why Dufty was allowed to return to play after initially being removed from the field, arguing the livewire No.1 was briefly, but “undeniably”, knocked unconscious by the tackle.

Under NRL guidelines, a player who is kayoed must not return to the field.

His comments come as fears also mount over the playing future of Roosters No.9 Jake Friend, whose run of concussions continued on Saturday.

“Dufty was visibly, and undeniably, unconscious following a forearm to the back of the head,” said Dr Cohen, an expert in trauma and emergency medicine.

“The evidence was right there before our eyes.”

He added Dufty’s subsequent return to the field, coupled with other recent incidents involving stars like Cordner being allowed play on in Origin I before then being sidelined indefinitely, proved the code’s HIA guidelines were wrong.

“It’s a dud test,” Dr Cohen said.

“And I realise that statement might make me unpopular, but I can live with that.

Dragons players take exception to Ramien’s hit.

“I’d rather be unpopular and have the players protected.

“You only have to look at Boyd Cordner last year.

“There is no doubt he was concussed (in Origin I) but then went and ‘passed’ his HIA.

“So whatever test Cordner passed to get back out there, it’s not fit for purpose — he’s now needing six months off because of the concussion that same HIA said he didn’t have.

“What we’re looking at to make our decisions, it’s fatally flawed.

“And hopefully that ‘fatally’ won’t be a player.”

Asked what should happen with concussed players, Dr Cohen continued: “We know concussion symptoms and problems can evolve over 24 to 72 hours.

“So we have take the player out of harms way.

There is serious concern over the future of Jake Friend after another concussion.

“He might say he’s fine but we don’t know that.

“Especially given the pressure on players to get back out there and perform for the team, the coach, the fans, even for their own back pocket.

“So instead of inventing sophisticated tests to get them back onto the field, why don’t we say it’s just not worth the risk, let’s get you two weeks off.

“That way by the time they get to 50 and 60 they can still remember the name of their kids.”

Asked for comment on the Dufty incident, a St George Illawarra spokesperson said: “In the instance of Matt Dufty’s head knock on Sunday evening, the Dragons followed all the necessary HIA protocols as dictated by NRL guidelines. Dufty passed his HIA assessment and was therefore allowed to return to the game”.

Originally published as NRL 2021: Leading concussion expert describes NRL concussion testing as ‘fatally flawed’