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Paul Kent accuses Rabbitohs ace Cameron Murray of hiding concussion

NRL 360 reporter Paul Kent (pictured right) speaking and (pictured left) Cameron Murray after a tackle.
NRL 360 reporter Paul Kent (pictured right) accused Cameron Murray (pictured left) of successfully hiding the effects of concussion after appearing to take a few head knocks against the Roosters on the weekend. (Images: Getty Images/Fox Sports)

NRL reporter Paul Kent has accused Cameron Murray of 'disguising' concussion effects amid calls for a change to the rules after the fiery game between the Rabbitohs and the Roosters.

Revenging their loss from the week earlier, the Rabbitohs defeated the Roosters 30-14 as tempers flared.

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Referee Ashley Klein sent Victor Radley and Taane Milne twice to the sin-bin, while he handed out three other sin-bins during the wild contest.

As well as the seven sin bins, five players were sent for head injury assessments (HIAs), with three of those players ruled out for the remainder of the contest.

One of the players under a cloud was Murray.

The all-action forward tackled Roosters enforcer Matt Lodge and appeared to suffer a head knock in the opening stages of the game.

He was then hurt later in the contest during a tackle against Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.

His two head knocks come after a concussion during State of Origin Game III and a collision during the Round 25 match against the Roosters.

And NRL 360 reporter Kent claimed the first knock of the finals clash was a concern.

“I had concerns with him, I think he took a knock there and I think Cameron Murray as brave as they come I think he’s learned to disguise the effects of concussions,” Kent claimed.

NRL 360 host, and former Roosters player, Braith Anasta agreed that he didn't think Murray looked 'right' after the head knock.

Cameron Murray (pictured) speaks to referee Ashley Klein during the NRL Elimination Final match between the Roosters and the Rabbitohs.
Cameron Murray (pictured) speaks to referee Ashley Klein during the NRL Elimination Final match between the Roosters and the Rabbitohs. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images) (Mark Kolbe via Getty Images)

Kent went on to claim that the second knock to the head was of concern.

“He just stays on his haunches there which is the way to disguise it," Kent said of Murray.

“It’s like when you see a boxer get hurt they always just sit on their knee, regather themselves as you know in boxing you can get up after five or six seconds, clear your head and off you go.

“I’ve got no doubt that Cameron Murray is still feeling the effects of concussion.”

Fellow reporter Phil Rothfield claimed that a mandatory one-week suspension should be brought in for anyone that suffers the effects of concussion.

However, Kent rebutted and said the issue was that clubs may not know of their players are concussed if they are able to 'disguise' it.

NRL defends Rabbitohs-Roosters clash

While there has been plenty of fallout from the fiery clash between the old rivals, NRL head of football Graham Annesley said the responsibility fell on the players to do better.

"I don't think it's necessarily what we want to see in our game," Annesley told reporters.

"The game has worked very hard over a long period of time, going back decades, to eliminate foul play from our game and player misconduct.

"Yesterday, the players overstepped the mark on a number of occasions.

"We've got a responsibility as a game to the entire community. Some of those (sin-binning) occasions were not an acceptable way to play the game."

with AAP

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