An examination is usually required to identify a medical problem and the NRL insists the independent doctors are NOT diagnosing concussion from the Bunker, but I would have thought the trained medical professionals should be on the sideline to make a proper assessment.
Does the local mechanic tell you the car needs a new engine without looking at it?
A major talking point stemming from the opening round of the competition is the power of an independent doctor watching a television screen at Redfern, who has the ability to identify the indicators of concussion and decide whether a player should be removed.
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The NRL has two spotters watching every game from the Bunker and they’re being overseen by the doctor who doesn’t have an association with either of the clubs involved.
Head of football Graham Annesley insists “the responsibility still falls on the club doctors and medical staff to take the appropriate action and the system is designed to remove the player from the field as soon as possible”.
I would have thought the need for an independent adjudicator proves the clubs cannot be trusted to look after the HIA assessment, so the question needs to be asked; why won’t the NRL take the decision away from them?
Several players were ruled out mid-match over the weekend which left commentators, fans and coaches confused, namely Trent Robinson who expressed his concerns.
The Roosters coach was asked about the decision to sideline Victor Radley and Billy Smith in the loss to Newcastle on Saturday with Robinson declaring “they didn’t have any symptoms”.
“It’s a good idea [with the bunker intervening], but Victor has no concussion, Billy’s got no concussion – he didn’t even remember [which] incident [it was] until the doctor showed him,” Robinson said.
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Could you imagine if this happens in a State of Origin match or a Grand Final?
The health and well being of the players is paramount and under the game’s new concussion rules, the independent doctor can immediately rule a player out of the game if they have “category one” symptoms.
Symptoms of a category one knock include ”signs of a serious or structural head and/or cervical spine injury, loss of consciousness, no protective or floppy action in fall to ground, impact seizure, tonic posturing, definite confusion or memory impairment”.
Symptoms of a category two knock include ”lying motionless, possible impact seizure, possible tonic posturing, possible motor incoordination, slow to stand in the context of a possible head injury or suspected facial fractures”.
If we break this down for a second; the league is protecting itself from future litigation, which is totally understandable when you look at some of the multi-million lawsuits in countries like Canada and the United States.
Rugby League Central obviously won’t criticise the club doctors for their handling of the HIA protocols because it would question the integrity of respected medical professionals who have spent the majority of their adult lives studying medicine, however anyone who’s watched the game closely would know the clubs are rorting the rules.
The pressure these doctors are under is intense, especially when you’ve got the coach demanding an answer ASAP on whether the player has been passed fit to play.
To eliminate the scrutiny on these medical professionals employed by the clubs, why can’t the NRL shift the independent doctor from the Bunker to the sideline?
There’s already a screen set-up for the club doctors to look at if they’re wanting a replay of a tackle or a head-knock. The independent medical official could use that same screen and assess the player in the dressing room without the pressure of a coach barking at them.
The club doctors still play an important role looking after the broken bones, cuts, bruises and stitches on game day, but the league should leave the HIA examination to the independent doctor who has the time to make a decision without someone barking in their ear.
It removes the perception of doctors clearing players to return because the coach said so.
ARLC Chairman Peter V’Landys is backing the new protocols telling The Sydney Morning Herald “the new process was pushed by club doctors who wanted to ensure the game embraced a best practice mentality on concussion”.
I just think the independent doctors need access to the players for an examination and they don’t have that when they’re sitting in the Bunker looking at a television screen.
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