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'Shocking look': NRL's concussion protocols questioned after baffling selection

Mitchell Pearce was knocked out after a collision against Penrith. (Getty Images)
Mitchell Pearce was knocked out after a collision against Penrith. (Getty Images)

The NRL’s concussion protocols have come into question following Knights captain Mitchell Pearce being named in the squad, despite copping a horrible concussion on Sunday.

Pearce was forced to leave the field in just the 4th minute against the Knights’ 14-14 draw against the Panthers last weekend.

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The ugly collision left Pearce dazed and he was unable to rejoin the game after failing the HIA.

But, Pearce was named in the Knights squad on Tuesday only two days after the sickening incident.

This prompted The Daily Telegraph’s Paul Crawley to question why the NRL is allowing him to play when in the lower league’s a better standard is set.

“Not a shot at Mitch Pearce, not a shot at Newcastle or their doctors,” Crawley said on Fox Sports’ NRL 360.

“But I think anyone who saw what happened to Mitch Pearce on Sunday, the way he was knocked out, he looked out cold as his head fell towards the ground. Then when he gets up and walks off the field after that his legs are jelly.

“The New South Wales Rugby League — the competitions under the NRL — they’ve put a new rule in place this year where people who have been knocked out have to stand aside from contact for 14 days. On the 15th day they’re allowed to return to training and on the 17th day they’re eligible to play.”

‘Shocking look’: Crawley points to NRL

Former Knights’ star James McManus took the team to court because of the concussions he faced while playing for the club.

Crawley mentioned in boxing it is a 90-day wait before a fighter can enter the ring again, but in league it is just a week.

“It’s not the players here, because the players are so brave they want to be out there and Mitch will tell them he wants to be out there and the doctors are working towards the protocols the game has in place but it’s a shocking look,” he added.

The Knights will wait to see if Pearce passes all the concussion protocols in the lead up to their match against Canberra on the weekend before he is officially allowed to play.