LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
The NRL is set to investigate a significant incident during the recent match between the St George Illawarra Dragons and the New Zealand Warriors in Auckland, particularly concerning the activation of the joint-venture's 18th man.
In a tightly contested game, the Dragons experienced a tough loss and saw three players sidelined due to concussions in the first half, two of whom were injured during the same tackle.
Forwards Jack de Belin, marking his 250th game, and rising star Hamish Stewart faced a severe head clash while attempting a tackle. Both athletes were promptly ruled out, exhibiting Category 1 concussion symptoms.
Despite the NRL regulations permitting the activation of an 18th man when two players are ruled out for concussion reasons, reports from News Corp indicate that it took 15 minutes for ground officials to confirm that outside back Tyrell Sloan could step in as the 18th man.
Tyrell Sloan did not make his entrance until deep into the second half, even after another concussion incident involving Hame Sele during the first half. This delay has caused concern, prompting the NRL to investigate the situation to clarify what occurred and why there was such a lag in activation.