NRL’s concussion protocols have been questioned after NSW skipper Boyd Cordner was cleared to return to the field following a troubling head knock in Wednesday’s State of Origin opener.
It comes as the NRL launches an investigation into how Cordner was cleared of concussion by Blues medical staff in a head injury assessment after an innocuous blow.
The dazed 28-year-old was taken from the field for a HIA but later returned to the field after passing protocols.
Those protocols have now come under fire from a leading clinician in concussion and dementia services at Macquarie University, Dr Rowena Mobbs, who has called for a review into the HIA process.
Clinical co-director of the Australian Sports Brain Bank, Mobbs assesses high-profile Australian sports people who have suffered years of head knocks and has authored a study on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
“The crowd and commentators can see that this is a brain injury.
“There is video evidence of brain injury and they should be off for the game, and the next, with all caution taken.
“How many sub-concussion knocks as well as concussion knocks are players sustaining?
“Australia has a long way to go in this field of research to understand the risk of CTE.
“We are calling for a national repetitive head trauma initiative that will involve neurologists providing a proper assessment of this long-term risk.”
The incident has reignited a simmering concern over Cordner’s playing future, but NRL teammate Luke Keary insists players have to trust they’re not being put at risk by head injury experts.
