Parramatta Eels concede they didn't follow protocol over Nathan Peats concussion but insist he was fit to return
Date
March 30, 2015 - 10:00PM
Michael Chammas
Rugby league reporter
In a report submitted to the NRL on Monday, the Parramatta Eels conceded they neglected to follow protocol for the Nathan Peats concussion test but insist the hooker was fit to return.
While the NRL is investigating the round three matter against the Warriors, an incident involving captain Tim Mannah on Friday night indicates the Eels medical staff are still clearly rattled by the criticism and interrogation that has followed Peats being reinstated into the game in New Zealand.
Dazed: Tim Mannah struggling to put his boot on after tackling South Sydney’s George Burgess on
After a tackle on South Sydney's George Burgess in the sixth minute of Friday night's match at Pirtek Stadium, Mannah was taken from the field for a concussion test after he appeared to be stumbling back into the defensive line.
However, as replays showed, Mannah was trying to get his boot back on, albeit struggling to do so as he rejoined the defensive line, yet was still taken from the field as a precautionary measure. He was later given the green light to return, however that same process is under question from the NRL over the handling of Peats a week earlier.
It is believed an Eels club medical official is considering quitting his role as a result of the scrutiny that has dominated the headlines over the past fortnight and the questioning of his integrity.
In the report lodged by the Eels, the club has provided medical evidence that backs their decision to send Peats back out on the field after he was forced off the paddock in the seventh minute following a hit to the head from Jacob Lillyman. Peats was then spotted in the tunnel preparing to return eight minutes later, a time frame the NRL considers unrealistic considering the severity of the knock, the examination procedures and the recovery period he should have been given.
In the report submitted to the NRL, the Eels concede Peats wasn't given the full five-minute rest period required under the concussion guidelines, but are adamant only the protocol, not the diagnosis, was incorrect. Parramatta insist Peats was fit to resume play, standing by Dr James Jeong's decision to allow him to return.
The incident involving Mannah is a reflection of the paranoia that has swept across rugby league in recent weeks as a result of the crackdown on concussions. It wasn't the only incident in round four which highlighted the sensitivity around concussions and the fear that some club medical staff are operating under.
Manly coach Geoff Toovey was frustrated Daly Cherry-Evans was taken from the field in the dying minutes of Saturday night's loss to the Dragons.
Toovey believes decisions are being made in fear of the repercussions or potential backlash.
NRL head of football Todd Greenberg will consult all 16 NRL club chief medical officers this week as part of a review of the concussion procedure, which includes a growing fear that some clubs are encouraging players to dramatise the severity of head knocks in order to gain a free interchange.
Fairfax Media understands the NRL wants to implement some clarity around the rules, likely to crack down on certain physical indicators to determine whether a player is able to return to the field.
