NSW captain James Tedesco has become the latest victim of concussion after being taken from the field in State of Origin III and subsequently failing his head injury assessment.
Tedesco had to be assisted from the field after his head collided with Josh Papalii’s knee on a kick return in the 20th minute.
He appeared to stagger several times before being taken for the HIA.
The incident also prompted criticism of Queensland forward Jai Arrow, who roughed Tedesco up and pushed his head after he’d already gone to ground.
“That’s just not needed,” Andrew Johns said in commentary.
“The game’s hard enough as it is without that rubbish coming into play.”
The Blues went into the match without a utility back on the bench, with Clint Gutherson reverting to fullback from his normal centre position.
Isaah Yeo came onto the field at right centre, having previously filled in there for Penrith. Halfback Nathan Cleary assumed the captaincy.
Tedesco had earlier scored the Blues’ first try to make it 6-6 and was easily NSW’s most dangerous player.
It comes at the end of a series headlined by concussions.
The NSW Rugby League received a formal warning from the NRL after Game I when original captain Boyd Cordner was allowed back onto the field after a knock.
Cordner had passed an off-field HIA, but the NRL claimed he had already exhibited signs of concussion on the field and should have stayed off.
The Kangaroos Test captain then made the decision to pull out of the rest of the series after repeated head knocks this year.
Queensland then lost their strike weapon Cameron Munster just two minutes into Origin II, after he too suffered a concussion.
It prompted ongoing debate on his fitness for the decider before he passed all required protocols to take the field on Wednesday night.