Cronulla star Matt Moylan will miss Friday’s NRL clash against his former club Penrith because of concussion following the delayed onset of symptoms after he was hit high by South Sydney’s Sam Burgess.
Moylan has been ruled out of the game with Josh Dugan to move to fullback, coach John Morris told the Sydney Morning Herald.
The incident has already fired up debate about the game’s concussion protocols after Moylan was allowed to stay on the field for 10 minutes after being collected high by the Rabbitohs’ skipper.
He was attended to by the Sharks trainer on the field but brought off in the 14th minute after the footage was reviewed by the Sharks doctor inside the sideline brain bunker.
The NRL said a communications problem inside the Sideline Injury Surveillance tent delayed Sharks medical staff reviewing the incident and when it was restored he was brought off.
Moylan eventually passed his head injury assessment and played the rest of the game.
NRL head of football Graham Annesley on Monday said they would ask the Sharks to provide a report, as they do with every incident in which a player is passed on field but subsequently taken off for a HIA.
“During the game he passed the test and was able to return to the field and play, but with concussion it can be a progressive problem and get worse in the 24 to 48 hours post-incident,” Morris told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“That’s been the case with ‘Moyza’. He felt pretty good during the game and after the game, but he woke up a bit groggy and it was still there Monday when he did the SCAT Test.
“The docs felt concussion signs were still there. Given our next game was in five days, he wasn’t going to be right with the concussion protocols so he had a line put through him on Monday.
“Our doctor felt he did everything and was OK to return.
“But there was a hit to the head, and sometimes symptoms can set in 48 hours post-incident. This is a classic case of that.”