The North Queensland Cowboys and Melbourne Storm played on Friday night, with two Cowboys players down with serious injuries, but the referees allowed play to continue for more than a minute. The NRL has announced that it will look into the situation.
In the 75th minute of the game, which Melbourne won 18-12, Papua New Guinean outside back Nene Macdonald collided with Cowboys teammate John Asiata, breaking and dislocating his ankle.
Asiata was down gripping Macdonald’s elbow as he writhed in pain with the horrifying-looking leg injury.
Nevertheless, despite the Cowboys trainers’ frantic efforts to alert the refs to the problem, play was permitted to continue for longer than 30 seconds.
Paul Green, the Cowboys’ coach, did not
He shook his head and stated, “That was an absolute debacle,” following the game.
“Our captain, Michael Morgan, was informed on-field about the procedure, which requires a trainer to go to the touchie [touch judge]… When the game started, our blue shirt [trainer] approached the touch judge and requested that he stop.
“We had a man, we had our doctor on the field, and when our yellow shirt (trainer) went to the pocket referee, he was sent off, he got sent off.
“It’s an absolute debacle, it’s a disgrace.”
Grant Atkins and Gavin Badger, the on-field officials, came under fire from Green, who saw Atkins as Morgan’s pacifier.
Your coaches must go to a touch judge at the time and inform them that you require
“At no time in that set of six was I informed that your team has to stop.”
When the NRL was asked to look into Green’s response, they weren’t impressed and said that play should have been halted right away, just like it had been previously in the game for a bleeding nose.
“We have a man there who has an ankle fracture and dislocation, who is obviously upset, and our doctor is on the field, and we were sent away. He said, “They keep playing.
“They stopped the game twice for a blood nose for God’s sake.”
Graham Annesley, the head of football operations for the NRL, stated that he would watch the video before making a decision.
When the NRL was asked to look into Green’s response, they weren’t impressed and said that play should have been halted right away, just like it had been previously in the game for a bleeding nose.
“We have a man there who has an ankle fracture and dislocation, who is obviously upset, and our doctor is on the field, and we were sent away. He said, “They keep playing.
“They stopped the game twice for a blood nose for God’s sake.”
Graham Annesley, the head of football operations for the NRL, stated that he would watch the video before making a decision.
“The laws of the game let play to continue while players are off the field and receiving minor injuries treatment, but it has always been the case that the game is stopped when referees become aware of a potential serious injury.
“There was plenty of chance for that to occur last night, but it didn’t.
“We will review the video and audio of the incident and consider all the relevant circumstances to hopefully prevent it from happening again.”
“Player safety was compromised.”
When asked if he wanted to see something done, Green responded, “It’s gotta be,” while continuing to shake his head. However, he refrained from suggesting that the officials be kicked out of the NRL.
“That’s not my job, my job is to coach my team,” he stated.
“But what I’m saying is, tonight our players’ welfare and player safety was put at risk.”
Asiata’s injury was not as serious as Macdonald’s, who was taken right away to the hospital where, according to the team, he will be having surgery today.
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