Curb on head knocks
MANDATORY TIME OUT
THE ARL Commission has joined the AFL and world rugby in introducing a mandatory stand-down period for concussion that could see players sidelined for 11 days.
The commission reached the landmark decision on Tuesday night and informed NRL clubs of the new policy on Wednesday morning, having finalised months of research into whether to strengthen concussion protocols by mandating a stand-down period for players who suffer serious head knocks.
Players who suffer a category one concussion will be automatically stood down for a minimum of 11 days, meaning they could miss two matches.
Category one symptoms include loss of consciousness, failing to protect oneself when falling and unsteadiness on feet. Players who show these signs are instantly ruled out of matches.
A category two means a player has failed the concussion test in the dressing room and is unable to return to the field. A player who sustains a category two concussion may be cleared to play without missing a game provided they meet with an NRL-approved neurologist.
The rule comes into place from the start of round 3.
The decision was made as the AFL found itself at the centre of a class action involving more than 60 former players in Victoria.
The ARL Commission insists its review of concussion guidelines was motivated by a desire to increase protection for players rather than the threat of legal action.
Nevertheless, News Corp understands that the commission has also considered an individual concussion package for players that could entail individual pre-season testing and consistent testing throughout the season, which may include saliva tests.
Blood testing could also come into play.
It shapes as a defining decision for the game at a time when head knocks are once again under the spotlight following the latest setback suffered by Newcastle star Kalyn Ponga.
Ponga is set to spend time on the sidelines after suffering a concussion in the Knights’ round 2 win over the Wests Tigers, which was his fourth serious head knock in the past year.
The NRL has also been forced to endure criticism over its use of an independent doctor in the bunker to monitor head knocks.
Bulldogs head of football Phil Gould described the independent doctor as the greatest abomination in rugby league history but ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys and NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo vowed to stand their ground on the issue.
They have done just that by strengthening the protocols around protection of players who suffer head knocks.