Peter FitzSimons launches scathing attack on NSWRL over concussion protocols

Peter FitzSimons has applied the blowtorch to the NSWRL and demanded answers surrounding Boyd Cordner’s latest concussion.

Peter FitzSimons has unloaded a scathing attack in the direction of the NSW Blues after skipper Boyd Cordner ruled himself out for the remainder of the State of Origin series.

Cordner was assisted off the ground by trainers after copping a head knock while attempting a tackle on Felise Kaufusi in the first half of Game I.

He was controversially allowed back onto the field 15 minutes later after passing a Head Injury Assessment (HIA) test.

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ARLC chairman Peter V’landys called for an investigation into Cordner’s return to play, which proved a contentious discussion point after Queensland’s 18-14 victory.

“We will investigate it because we will never compromise on player welfare, it is paramount,” V’landys said, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

“There is nothing that competes with it.”

But New South Wales team doctor Nathan Gibbs defended the call, clarifying there was no definitive concussion diagnosis.

On Sunday however FitzSimons blasted the Blues for allowing Cordner back onto the field and questioned what his condition was if it wasn’t concussion.

“I, like most people who follow concussion closely, was completely gobsmacked that he came back on the field,” FitzSimons said on Sports Sunday.

“The concussion protocol there were three things. Either has concussion, appears to have concussion or portrayed concussion-like symptoms.

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“If one of those three shows up you don’t go back on the field.

“Now we all must be confused because they are saying Boyd Cordner passed the HIA, but he is not playing the rest of the series because of concussion issues.

“Hang on a moment! I pose this as a serious question because I haven’t got an answer yet. If he did not have concussion I would like to know seriously as a matter of public import, what is it that he had?

Cordner is helped from the field.

“Because if there was any sense of concussion when he was in that dressing room he should not have gone back on the field.

“If I’m wrong and I may be wrong tell us because the last time this happened for the Roosters there was one or two reasons put out, one of which was emotional distress over the tragic death of his cousin.

“But here and now he went into that dressing room with something that looked like concussion. Under the protocol he can’t come back out if it was anything to do with concussion, so if it wasn’t concussion what was it?”

Veteran rugby league journalist Andrew Webster agreed Cordner should not have come back on and explained the NSWRL have been issued with a please explain from the NRL.

“The NSWRL have been asked to please explain by the NRL. They haven’t had a response yet. They are putting something together. I checked that with the NRL.

“But I agree with you on Cordner and what happened on Wednesday night.

“The most telling thing in commentary was Andrew Johns and Phil Gould who lean to the old-school way of thinking who were there at the ground.

“Joey was on the sideline right in front of him and he could not believe he came back out.”

Fitzy has ERUPTED over the Boyd Cordner HIA series. 💥

Where do you stand?

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— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) November 7, 2020