Attention: CEO NRL Todd Greenberg, and Chief Medical Officer of the NRL, Dr Paul Bloomfield.
Dear Todd and Dr Bloomfield,
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Knights questioned over Elliot head injury
The Newcastle Knights' treatment of concussions has been put under the spotlight after fullback Brendan Elliot suffered two serious knocks to the head before being removed from the field for assessment.
Hi. But enough chit-chat. Both of you have been commendably proactive on the issue of the treatment of concussed NRL players, and good on you. You have both noted the truth, that the NRL has to change. Never has that been more apparent, since the Knights player, James McManus, has taken legal action against the Knights for what he alleges is their lack of proper care of him after he suffered a series of concussions.
Though I know nothing of the specifics of that case, and do not in my forthcoming remarks seek to prejudge that legal action in any way, we all know what is at stake. Win, lose or draw, the ramifications – putting the moral outrage aside for a moment – of ignoring concussion protocols are now bigger than ever, and have the potential to cost the NRL hundreds of millions of dollars.
Hence why I write to you now.
On Saturday in the Knights match against Souths, with 13 minutes to go in the first half, the Knights fullback Brendan Elliott was hit hard and high, from behind, by the Souths centre Hymel Hunt, who was not even given time in the sin-bin for his trouble. Elliott went down like a shot steer, and lay there for about two minutes, unmoving. No one, and I mean NO ONE who sees the footage – and the nation was watching live – could doubt that it was an absolute clear case of concussion. And yet, before our very eyes, the player stayed on the field, and took his place in the line!
I repeat: on your watch, in 2017, at a time when the dangers of concussion are known more than ever, and particularly the dangers of Second Impact Syndrome – the acute risk faced by a person who receives a second concussion not long after the first, when the brain is already swollen – the same club being sued for lack of care over concussion, did not even call from the field a clearly concussed player for a Head Injury Assessment! It sheer took my breath away.
And, sure enough, just 12 minutes into the second half, that same player was hurt again! This time, after a much milder hit, Elliott was taken from the field and did not return.
![Down: Brendan Elliot of the Knights is treated after being felled during Newcastle's clash with South Sydney on Saturday.](/web/20170321170310im_/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/1/i/v/y/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gv1ivh.png/1490051988235.jpg)
Todd, Dr Bloomfield, this is MADNESS, and you must both know it.
Most of the commentators don't get it. In this case the Fox commentators waffled on. One complained about how "disruptive the whole thing"Â would be to have removed Elliott for an HIA, while another complained, "Does he have to go off for 10 minutes...? It will need to have to change somehow for me."
![Brendan Elliot of the Knights leaves the ground after getting injured.](/web/20170321170310im_/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/1/e/q/f/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gv1ivh.png/1489962568800.jpg)
None of them shouted, the obvious: "He's CONCUSSED! Get him OFF!" None of them asked the bleeding obvious question, when after all that, he stayed on: "If it wasn't concussion that kept him down for two minutes, what the HELL was it? FLU?"
Newcastle coach Nathan Brown, has no clue, telling the Newcastle Herald yesterday, when challenged, "If Brendan Elliott does have to leave the field because of that, and then the player does get suspended, who gets the benefit out of it?"
Me? I am going to go with Brendan Elliot getting the benefit, of being removed from the field when clearly concussed.
But you two not only have a clue, you both own the situation, you are the two who are both responsible now, and are liable to be held responsible later, in court, if action is not taken to punish change the NRL's approach.
You, Todd, understand better than anyone the legal and financial ramifications if the NRL can't clean up its act on this. And you, Dr Bloomfield, obviously know the hideous medical risks players are facing, that it is your specific job to reduce.
.@Peter_Fitz has slammed the NRL over their handling of concussion. Do you agree? #9SportsSunday pic.twitter.com/wbuJhQ8D9y
— Sports Sunday (@SportsSunday) March 18, 2017
And so I publicly challenge you both. Look at that footage, and take serious action. If that episode does not move you to outrage, to punish, to take arms, so as to change the culture, I don't know what will!
Neither of you, I know, will come back with weasel words about how "the trainer dealt with it and said he was OK, blah, blah, blah." You are better than that. Those who do maintain that it was not concussion that felled him, must provide the answer to what it was if not that.
 And that footage is so flagrant, so undeniable, not even people on Twitter are defending. Bottom line? Brendan Elliott was badly concussed. He was not even removed for an HIA. He got concussed again.
You must take severe action.
And if you don't, on your heads be it.  Â
Sincerely,
Peter FitzSimons