Trent Robinson wants the NRL to play a greater role in the management of long-term concussions, claiming head office has had little to do with Jake Friend and Boyd Cordner’s issues.
Robinson and Sydney Roosters doctors will meet on Monday with Friend to map out his future, after suffering a heavy head knock three weeks ago.
Cordner is also still at least two months away from his return, with the Roosters’ cautious approach highly publicised after his run of knocks last year.
The NRL this season strengthened their protocols around return to play, including a mandatory appointment with an independent specialist to come back within 11 days.
But Robinson is more concerned about the long-term recoveries.
An overhaul of the league’s medical department is in progress, with a brain injury expert to sit on a new medical advisory panel.
And with that Robinson wanted clearer direction from the league on long-term concussions.
“Yeah without a doubt (there needs more from the NRL). It’s not really clear,” Robinson said.
“It’s clubs who are looking after this, the game is not looking after it yet.
“We’ve had to deal with it and have had no involvement from the NRL at all in any of this.
“There will come a time when they might come and ask once they change the medical system.
“It’s hard for the NRL to come out and say what they think, but I think there’s should be more dialogue coming out of the medical department.”
South Sydney forward Liam Knight is another player to be sidelined long-term by concussion, while Parramatta second-rower Ryan Matterson spent time out last year.
The NRL stressed on Friday that they oversee all returns, and that a whole range of protocols are laid out including if players are being concussed easier and more regularly.
Regardless, the Roosters coach wanted to be clear he was not being critical of the NRL with his comments given the ever-changing face of concussion.
“You’d have to ask the NRL (if they should step in in the future),” Robinson said.
“They’re not strong enough in their understanding of what happens to a player because they don’t deal with players.
“Because they’re administration and that’s their role. So it is up to us to deal with it.”
Meanwhile Robinson also backed Ricky Stuart’s calls for the proposed 18th man concussion replacement to be available once a player is ruled out of a game through foul play.
But he took aim at the fact the public discussion around concussions often moved to a debate around salary cap dispensation.
“Clubs are all varied around the game and as soon as something happens to Boyd Cordner or Jake Friend everybody’s wary about what we’re trying to do to exploit the salary cap,” Robinson said.
“There’s so much paranoia around, whoever it is they think there’s an alternative motive other than just trying to look after the player.”