Just weeks after former player James McManus launched legal action against Newcastle for their handling of a series of career-ending concussions, the club is again under scrutiny after an incident involving fullback Brendan Elliot in Saturday's 24-18 loss to South Sydney.
Elliot was hit by a swinging arm from Souths centre Hymel Hunt in the 28th minute and immediately dropped to the turf, apparently motionless.Â
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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.
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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.
He spent several minutes receiving treatment before he resumed playing, without leaving the field for a head-injury assessment.
Compelling argument from @Peter_Fitz. I suspect @NRLKnights will be hearing more about this ... pic.twitter.com/HNl28dw0HW
— Robert Dillon (@robertdillon174) March 19, 2017
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He continued playing until the 62nd minute, when he received a second head knock and was removed from the game.
Fairfax columnist Peter FitzSimons, who has been outspoken about sporting concussions in recent years, fired a scathing broadside at the Knights on Channel Nine's Sports Sunday show.
"Here is Newcastle, the same club that is being sued … [Elliot] is clearly, 100 per cent, absolutely, no doubt about it, motherless," FitzSimons said. "He is concussed."Â
FitzSimons then challenged NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg and the code's chief medical officer, Dr Paul Bloomfield, to examine replays of the tackle.
"Look at that and tell us how is it that that guy was not removed from the field, even for a head-injury assessment," FitzSimons said.
FitzSimons said Elliot was "clearly concussed, and then he gets concussed again, and was taken off".
Knights CEO Matt Gidley said he had not been contacted by the NRL about the incident.
"The NRL have no raised any issue with the club regarding yesterday's game," Gidley said. "If they ask for further details regarding the incident, we will provide all on-field/medical assessments. This is standard procedure with any incident the NRL opts to review."
An NRL spokesman said the incident "will be reviewed, along with a number of HIAs and head knocks over the course of the round".
Knights coach Nathan Brown was critical of the NRL's concussion-replacement rules on Saturday, after losing both Elliot and Sione Mata'utia during the second half.
On Saturday, when asked about Elliot's condition, the coach said: "Well, he got cleared and … they don't clear them too much these days. Doctors are too frightened to clear them."
Under the NRL's concussion protocols, there is a "slow to stand" guideline, which usually prompts a head-injury assessment.
Brown called on Saturday for the NRL to allow additional replacements to cater for concussed players.
"The game has got to address this, because obviously with legal cases coming up, doctors are more cautious, but we're not addressing the bigger problem," he said.
"The bigger problem is injured people being forced to stay on the field because we don't have any players left."
Hunt was placed on report for the tackle on Elliot.  Asked for his view on the incident, Brown replied: "I'll leave that with the referees and the judiciary …Â
"But 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?"