NRL suddenly drops concussion protocol game-changer

The NRL has been under fire over its concussion policy to start the season and the league has responded with a massive rule overhaul.

Kalyn Ponga took another shot to the head. Picture: NRL Photos.

NRL players will potentially be mandated to miss two rounds of football if they are found to have suffered a concussion.

That’s the headline detail on a sudden policy change announced by the NRL on Wednesday.

The league is facing its most significant shake-up to concussion protocols in years — coming one day after the AFL was rocked by a landmark class action lawsuit.

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The NRL has been under fire for its handling of concussions and head injuries to start the 2023 season, headlined by Bulldogs football boss Phil Gould’s public declaration one part of the policy is an “abomination”.

The most serious concern surrounds the future of Newcastle superstar Kalyn Ponga after he was forced from the field in both of his team’s games this season after taking a head knock.

There was speculation Ponga could even be forced into a premature retirement as a result of a series of head injuries he has suffered in recent years.

Kalyn Ponga was on wobbly legs again. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images.

Now the NRL is taking significant action to safeguard players facing similar situations.

The Australian Rugby League Commission has confirmed reports it is now aligned with the AFL and world rugby in introducing a mandatory 11-day stand down period for concussed players.

The new protocols will be introduced immediately and will be in effect from the start of Round 3.

The ARLC is reported to have reached the decision during a meeting on Tuesday night.

All players found to be showing symptoms of category one concussions will be stood down for at least 11 days.

Any player who shows signs of having suffered a category two concussion may still be cleared to play without missing a game — if cleared by neurological experts.

The Daily Telegraph reports the NRL is adamant its policy change is not designed to be an attempt to further protect the code from a similar class action lawsuit to the one that has been submitted to the Supreme Court of Victoria in which 60 former players are seeking compensation from the AFL.

However, The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio told SEN Radio earlier on Wednesday the change is “basically to protect themselves from what we are seeing in the AFL”.

The newspaper reports the ARLC has also discussed taking further action to protect players from head injuries and is exploring the potential of introducing saliva and blood tests as part of a revolutionary monitoring approach.

Meanwhile, Gould has been slammed by the NRL 360 panel after he called the NRL’s head injury protocols the “greatest abomination perpetrated on our game”.

Several players were taken off the field for head injury assessments by the independent doctor in the Bunker, including Knights star Kalyn Ponga.

Knights coach Adam O’Brien said of the incident that the NRL were “jumping at shadows to get him out of the game” after he was concussed three times in six weeks.

But Gould, who has been vocal about doctors and lawyers ruining the game blasted the “concussion hysteria” and called the drama “total overkill” on Channel 9’s 100% Footy.

“It’s all about litigation, it’s all about litigation, that’s what it’s about … They’re worried about this tsunami of class action which has been threatening for ages but which never comes, and if it did, I say take them on,” Gould said.

Gould has long been critical of the concussion protocols. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Glenn Campbell

But NRL 360’s Paul Kent has taken aim at Gould’s comments, saying it’s better to err on the side of caution when we still know so little about brain damage from the sport.

“Phil Gould is so misguided on this,” Kent said. “So he says not every bump to the head is a concussion and not every concussion is life threatening. How does he know which is which though? Or are we better off siding on the side of caution?

“The whole point of this brain science we go through now, not just rugby league but competitions around the world, is that nobody knows. We’ve got things that will make you live longer with your heart, things that will make you live longer with strokes but there’s so little about you can’t improve the brain once it’s damaged.

“The fact is not every bump that occurs is a concussion. Absolutely right. But how do you know which ones which? Really, how does he know which ones which?”

Kent said he agreed with Gould’s litigation claim as well, stating players play knowing there’s an “inherent risk” and that the game has done all they can according to best practice.

In recent seasons players including former Roosters captains Jake Friend and Boyd Cordner have been forced into retirement after suffering repeated head knocks.