Andrew Abdo backs the Roosters handling of Boyd Cordner concussion

NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo has given the Sydney Roosters his unwavering support and defended the game’s stance on concussion

Boyd Cordner will miss the Roosters game against Cronulla after another head knock Picture: Phil Hillyard

NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo has given the Sydney Roosters his unwavering support and defended the game’s stance on concussion after coach Trent Robinson vented at the keyboard warriors who criticised the club’s handling of captain Boyd Cordner.

Cordner will sit out the club’s penultimate regular season game against Cronulla on Saturday night, having suffered another head knock in the Roosters’ win over Newcastle last weekend.

The Australian understands that the NRL’s chief medical officer Paul Bloomfield has been in regular contact with the Roosters, although more as a matter of course rather than over any concern in regard to the club’s handling of their skipper.

Regardless, Cordner’s predicament has placed the spotlight back on the game’s concussion policy, prompting criticism from some quarters.

The seriousness of the concussion issue was highlighted on Friday by revelations that former AFL player Shaun Smith, who played for North Melbourne and Melbourne in the late 1980s and early 1990s, has recently received a $1.4m insurance payout after suffering permanent brain damage from repeated headknocks.

Given the heat around the issue, it was somewhat surprising that the NRL found itself under the microscope on Friday over the decision to charge South Sydney’s Jaydn Su’A for a shot that left Canterbury’s Lachlan Lewis nursing a sore head on Thursday night.

Souths immediately entered an early guilty plea and Su’A will miss their final regular season game, but the decision to lay a charge over the tackle prompted criticism from some quarters.

Abdo insisted concussion remained at the forefront of the game’s mind and said the Roosters and Robinson had their full support.

“Player safety is always a priority,” he said “That is why we are investing over $1 million in head injury surveillance and research. We are partnering with Harvard University to learn more about this area.

“We will continue to evolve our thinking to ensure we remain at the forefront of world’s best practice.

“The Sydney Roosters, like all our clubs, genuinely care about the welfare of their players and I commend Trent Robinson for the way in which he rests and manages the workload of his squad.”

Cordner has maintained a dignified silence this week while Robinson had been reluctant to engage in debate over his captain’s immediate playing future. However, he set the record straight on Friday morning.

“A lot of people have talked about it this week and the concern is there and we understand it,” Robinson said. “He’s been great, physically post-game, and he has trained well this week. But he won’t play this weekend, that decision Sas made a few days ago.

“He accepted that. We have had those discussions about how to treat Boyd in the right way, both with people within the club, specialists and family members.

“We know it’s not something we’re not going to discuss with anyone else.

“The integrity of our group will stay in the group and we will look after our players as we see fit in the best possible way.”

Among those to put the Roosters in the crosshairs was media commentator Peter FitzSimons, an outspoken advocate on concussion.

“Peter has done a very good job over the years about pushing his views on concussion and pushing sport on that,” Robinson said. “That has been a very positive thing.

“Now on multiple occasions he has questioned our integrity as a club and our handling of that.

“Luke Keary he questioned when we gave him six weeks … which is unprecedented.

“We have doctors and specialists independent of this club which we use, and then we have discussions with their family members

“And I know our protocols are right. So somebody with a keyboard is not going to tell us what we’re going to do.

“To question the integrity of individuals in that is disappointing and unacceptable from our point of view.”

While the Roosters went for the jugular, the NRL was forced to deal with the fallout from a controversial night at ANZ Stadium. Su’A was charged with a grade two high tackle for his shot on Lewis, leaving him on the sidelines for the club’s round 20 game against the Roosters.

Media commentator Phil Gould questioned the decision to charge Su’A on social media, suggesting it was an unfortunate accident and should not have drawn a charge.

The match review committee felt differently.

“There were two factors which the Match Review Committee considered primarily when issuing a grade two charge,” said match review co-ordinator Michael Robertson.

“The first factor was the fact that we did not deem there was a significant drop in height of the ball-carrier.

“The second was the fact that the tackle was in the marginal area. When you tackle in the marginal area, above the ball, the duty of care is higher. We felt in this case the defender failed in his duty of care.

“The force was deemed moderate and the actions careless. The fact that the ball-carrier was injured by the impact was taken into account but only when deciding on a grade.”

The NRL was also forced to explain an error in the sideline that has led to touch judge Phil Henderson being axed. Rabbitohs winger Jaxson Paulo was awarded a try in the first half when his foot had gone into touch. Henderson has paid the price.

“Replays immediately after the incident clearly showed the decision to award a try was incorrect,” NRL head of football Graham Annesley said.

“The touch judge in question indicated to the referee he was happy with the sideline, and as a result the referee awarded the try without referral to the Bunker.

“The decision by the touch judge not to request a referral was obviously an error of judgment.

“While I have always been clear that match officials should back themselves to make decisions where they believe there is no doubt, this decision was simply too close to call without the assistance of technology.”