Even if it was their star player Jack Wighton and they needed him to win a game, Canberra Raiders halfback Jamal Fogarty says coach Ricky Stuart and his medical staff would still do what's best for the player's health.
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Concussion has been back in the NRL spotlight this week after a series of coaches questioned the decisions of independent doctors in the controversial bunker to take players off for head injury assessments.
The NRL has stood it's ground and said it won't change their policy, which uses specialists - who were not at the ground - to watch footage to decide if a player comes off to be checked.
That's in addition to the clubs' own medical staff at the ground.
Stuart said the NRL didn't trust the coaches when asked about it following the Raiders' one-point loss to North Queensland on Saturday.
His comments came after Canberra fullback Sebastian Kris was forced from the field for an HIA - having been involved in a collision where Kris required treatment on his leg.
Fogarty said Stuart and his medical staff all had the players' best interests at heart and backed them to make those decisions regardless of how they might affect the game.
"It's unlucky that it's part of the game, but that's just what it is," he said.
"The coaches, if their player's concussed they're not going to roll them back out - especially 'Sticky'.
"He cares [for] and loves his players. He's not going to send someone out if they've got a concussion and it's fair dinkum.
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"He's not going to roll us back out because he genuinely cares for us. And so does our team doctor and physios. They're not going to send us back out.
"It might be our best player - it might be Jack - they're not going to send him out if he's concussed just to win a game.
"That's just a bit of common sense and that just comes back to our staff caring for our players.
"We've got individual doctors on the sidelines and they're doing their best to protect the players.
"We've just got to put trust in those guys - they're professionals in their roles - and it's just unfortunate that concussions are a part of our game."
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David Polkinghorne
Covering the Raiders, Cavalry, cycling and racing, plus everything else that involves sport in the ACT, for The Canberra Times. Basically I love sport and watching it is a full-time job. Email: david.polkinghorne@canberratimes.com.au
Covering the Raiders, Cavalry, cycling and racing, plus everything else that involves sport in the ACT, for The Canberra Times. Basically I love sport and watching it is a full-time job. Email: david.polkinghorne@canberratimes.com.au
