‘Terrible’: Wests Tigers forward Alex Twal stretchered off after ‘scary’ head knock

There were scary scenes in the NRL on Sunday when Wests Tigers forward Alex Twal was stretchered off after an unusual incident.

Alex Twal was stretchered off.

There were concerning scenes in Sunday’s clash between the Wests Tigers and Canterbury Bulldogs when Tigers forward Alex Twal was stretchered off following an unusual incident.

The game was barely underway when Twal collided with Matt Burton after the Bulldogs five-eighth’s kick at the end of a set of six.

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Attempting to put pressure on, Twal tackled Burton but his head hit Burton’s shoulder before Burton innocuously swung Twal around and his head slammed into the turf.

Twal, a Tigers fan favourite who is best known for being yet to score a try in his 101-game NRL career so far, lay motionless on the ground for several minutes.

The play was soon stopped while Twal was tended to by medical staff, put on a stretcher and taken off the field in a medicab.

“Twal, he is down for the count. I don’t know what happened to Alex but I think they will have to stop the game,” commentator Andrew Voss said on Fox League.

“He ends up with some serious contact. Twal was in very poor shape.

“That's it for the day for Alex you’d have to say on what you’ve just seen here and witnessing now.

Alex Twal was knocked out cold. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

Twal was stretchered off the field. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

“The Tigers will lose one of their hardest workers in less than 90 seconds of the game. He’s in very poor shape here, Alex Twal. It’s more than just your run of the mill concussion.

“He’s had head contact in two instances there. The initial contact, his shoulder to his head and then pushed down.”

“They’re in no hurry to move Alex from the field here. What a dreadful way to start the game.

“At this pointing we’re hoping it’s no more than a concussion. Some scary moments there for Alex.”

Plenty of concern for Alex Twal, off after this heavy contact. Obvious concussion concerns & medical staff taking spinal precautions, taken off on a medicab. Hopefully just playing it safe, fingers crossed for my favourite player pic.twitter.com/XGZoIz930c

— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) June 19, 2022

Greg Alexander described the incident as “unusual” and said it was a “terrible” way to start the game.

“He got to Burton fractionally late and then as Burton swung him around, his head has hit the ground and that’s where the damage has been done for Alex Twal,” he said.

Brad Fittler said on Channel 9: “There’s a Tigers player down in the background in a bit of trouble. I think it’s Alex Twal. He hasn’t moved.”

Twal failed a head injury assessment (HIA) and would take no further part of the game.

Thankfully he appeared to avoid any serious neck injury and was talking in good spirits in the change rooms.

He was replaced by veteran forward James Tamou and the Tigers would have to play the remainder of the game a man down on the bench.

The Tigers’ day only got worse as they slumped to a 36-12 defeat. The Bulldogs ran in six tries to secure their second win in a row and move above the Tigers into 13th on the ladder.

Originally published as ‘Terrible’: Wests Tigers forward Alex Twal stretchered off after ‘scary’ head knock