LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
New Zealand coach Stacey Jones has supported the call for increased scrutiny of warm-ups, particularly after the tragic head injury sustained by Eliesa Katoa. Both Kiwi and Samoan players have expressed their distress regarding the incident.
Currently, the NRL is engaged in a review of Katoa's three head impacts during the match at Eden Park. The Tongan player remains in Auckland, recuperating from seizure activity and a brain hemorrhage.
A key concern centers around Katoa's initial head injury, which occurred during the warm-up. Tonga's medical team did not deem it necessary to conduct more than a standard on-field assessment.
Broadcast footage captured Katoa falling backward after being struck in the head by teammate Lehi Hopoate's shoulder.
Following that, Katoa experienced two additional head impacts during the match. Although he successfully passed a Head Injury Assessment (HIA) after the first, he became unwell after the second impact.
Officials from Tonga indicated they did not have access to a replay of Katoa's collision with Hopoate until after the match concluded.
Under current regulations, clubs are required to have spotters monitoring head impacts during training sessions, and all contact practices must be recorded to facilitate review of any head hits. Additionally, an independent doctor in the bunker observes all contact incidents during games to identify head injuries, while trainers are present on-site to assess any head contact.