Uninjured stars cannot sit on the sidelines
THE debate over whether the NRL should scrap independent doctors has intensified, with Manly coach Anthony Seibold claiming “you want your best players on the park” and Storm counterpart Craig Bellamy saying: “We don’t want our best players missing time if they don’t have to.”
Both coaches stopped short of calling on the NRL to dump independent doctors but did state the game cannot have healthy players being forced off the field through erroneous concussion decisions.
While agreeing players needed to be protected from concussion, NRL coaches Ricky Stuart, Cameron Ciraldo, Wayne Bennett and Adam O’Brien all questioned why and how independent doctors should have the power to force uninjured players off the field.
Canterbury’s Jacob Kiraz, Newcastle’s Kalyn Ponga, Brisbane’s Kotoni Staggs and Canberra’s Sebastian Kris were ordered from the field by independent doctors only to be cleared to return.
The NRL will review the controversial medical decision to remove Ponga from the field late in Newcastle’s loss to the Warriors.
“It’s an issue in our game. At this stage, if we’ve got the independent doctor, I’m backing them to make the right decision,” Seibold told The Big Sports Breakfast Weekend radio program.
“But I also understand where the coaches are coming from because you want your best players on the park.
“It’s an interesting one, mate. I read about the Kalyn Ponga incident, but I didn’t actually see it, so it’s hard for me to talk about it.
“But I’m sure the independent doctors are trying to do the right thing by the players.
“It is what it is and I understand why the NRL has the independent doctor in place.
“I would think around training there will be more monitoring.”
Bellamy wouldn’t be drawn into calling for a change but did say: “I didn’t see much footy (on Saturday) but I saw Adam O’Brien on the TV and he had some concerns about what happened to Ponga.
“I don’t think there is a system that is going to be ideal and I’m not quite sure what the best system is.”