Rabbitohs captain Cameron Murray has “learned to disguise the effects of concussions” in games, according to NRL 360 host Paul Kent.
The star lock returned from a head knock injury in Souths’ elimination final win over the Roosters on Sunday, and Kent believes he was still feeling the effects of the concussion he suffered a week earlier.
Murray appeared to cop a head knock while attempting to tackle Roosters forward Matt Lodge early in the game, and then was rattled again in the second half after copping a hit from Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.
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After suffering a concussion in Origin Game III and a head knock against the Roosters in Round 25, Kent is adamant that Murray has learned to camouflage the true extent of his head knocks.
“I had concerns with him, I think he took a knock there and I think Cameron Murray as brave as they come I think he’s learned to disguise the effects of concussions,” Kent told NRL 360.
“I saw that too, one of the first hits of the game and I’m thinking he’s not right,” Braith Anasta said.
Kent then pointed to Murray’s second head knock of the game, where he was forced into the ground head first by Roosters enforcer Waerea-Hargreaves, comparing the actions of the Blues representative to a boxer.
“He’s not right, he wasn’t right and he got hit later in the game and again he stayed on his haunches the second time as if to say I need to just cop it,” Kent added.
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“Look at his head there and I don’t want to bring attention to who has got hold of him there but it happened a bit later as well.
“He just stays on his haunches there which is the way to disguise it.
“It’s like when you see a boxer get hurt they always just sit on their knee, regather themselves as you know in boxing you can get up after five or six seconds, clear your head and off you go.
“I’ve got no doubt that Cameron Murray is still feeling the effects of concussion.”
Phil Rothfield believes it’s time that the NRL put their foot down and take further action on head injuries.
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“There is an easy way to eradicate this and I wrote about it on the weekend,” Rothfield said.
“I spoke to Professor Chris Levi a leading brain expert who said it’s time for the NRL to introduce a mandatory one week minimum stand down for concussion.
“That would stop Mitchell Moses playing this week and take any risk out, it would stop Cameron Murray playing.”
However Kent was quick to correct Rothfield, drawing back to his point before that the 24-year-old has been able to hide the effects.
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“It wouldn’t Buzz, he didn’t go off for a HIA (head injury assessment), he didn’t go off,” Kent jumped in.
“He wouldn’t have played yesterday but he hasn’t been diagnosed with a concussion.
“As I believe I think he’s learned to disguise it, you can see that happen sometimes.
“You’ve seen it in the past, players get knocked out, get up, roll on the side as if that’s what’s wrong with them.”
The Rabbitohs will return to Allianz Stadium for the second week of finals where they’ll face off against the Cronulla Sharks on Saturday.
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