They're the test dummies in a landmark deal between rugby league's governing body and HITIQ announced on the Australian Stock Exchange on Thursday.

Canberra-based HITIQ chief commercial officer Damien Hawes said in any given NRL game, 13-15 Raiders players wore their smart mouthguards as part of a trial for the 2024 season.

The Raiders have also put their hand up to trial the mouthguards with their NRLW team.

While the Green Machine were the only team involved in the trial, several other NRL teams have also independently adopted the technology for their own use.

The mouthguards have in-built sensors that capture the frequency, location and intensity of head impacts.

Hawes felt the NRL wanted to get a few things out of the trial.

Firstly, they wanted to look at the data collected for when a player was diagnosed with a concussion.

Secondly, they wanted to get an understanding of whether some positions were at greater risk, plus to get an insight into what happened at training.

HITIQ also has an agreement with the AFL and AFLW where all 18 teams have access to the mouthguards.

"The NRL's purchased our technology on behalf of the Canberra Raiders," Hawes said.

"Typically on game day they've got anywhere from 13-15 players wearing our mouthguards and they're collecting data at training as well.

"It's no secret that one of, if not, the biggest risks to the game is head-impact injuries.

"It's a risk that needs to be reduced and HITIQ's got the vessel to do it, and they can do it in a way where they still keep the game competitive and fierce, but they can make it safer."

The trial wasn't looking at real-time data - due to the limitations of Bluetooth - but instead was downloaded at half-time and at the end of games.

But the plan was to get to a point where that was possible - potentially using the GPS trackers players wear to transmit the data.

Super Rugby Pacific started using live data to assist in bringing players off for head injury assessments, but problems with the technology led to them scrapping those plans.

Hawes said the technology would eventually become an important diagnostic tool.

"Once we get to a point where we've got a sensitive and specific, acute, injury alert where we can flag players at risk of concussion then I think we'll probably see the technology get mandated in games," he said.

"That data can assist the NRL and doctors on game day and inform their decision regarding the potential injury status of a player."

Raiders performance data and technology lead Tom Christian has been a key driver in the Green Machine getting on board.

"The partnership with HITIQ represents a significant step forward in advancing player safety as we can now capture and understand head-impact data provided by these state-of-the-art mouthguards," he said.

"This will allow us to better mitigate a complex area in the sport and I am confident that the insights provided will not only benefit our players now, but contribute to the advancement of player health and safety in the NRL moving forward."

Currently, HITIQ's mouthguards need to be fitted, but Dawes said they were in the process of developing "boil and bite" models to make them more accessible for amateur sport.

They already have a concussion guidance app that their mouthguards can link to, which can help with symptom assessment.

They've linked with a telehealth service that specialises in concussion, which can guide athletes through the concussion protocols used at the elite level.

"Our plan is to deliver a smart mouthguard for the grassroots market that plugs into that telehealth guidance app ... and it'll really elevate the standard of care at the grassroots level, which at the moment is inconsistent and inadequate," Hawes said.

NRL ROUND 4

Sunday: Canberra Raiders v Cronulla Sharks at Shark Park, 6.15pm.

Raiders squad: 1. Jordan Rapana, 2. James Schiller, 3. Matt Timoko, 4. Sebastian Kris, 5. Xavier Savage, 6. Ethan Strange, 7. Jamal Fogarty, 8. Josh Papali'i, 9. Danny Levi, 10. Joe Tapine, 11. Hudson Young, 12. Elliott Whitehead (c), 13. Morgan Smithies. Interchange: 14. Tom Starling, 15. Ata Mariota, 16. Zac Hosking, 17. Pasami Saulo. Reserves: 18. Kaeo Weekes, 19. Nick Cotric, 20. Trey Mooney, 21. Zac Woolford, 22. Corey Horsburgh.

Sharks squad: 1. Will Kennedy, 2. Sione Katoa, 3. Jesse Ramien, 4. Kayal Iro, 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6. Braydon Trindall, 7. Nicho Hynes, 8. Tom Hazelton, 9. Blayke Brailey, 10. Oregon Kaufusi, 11. Siosifa Talakai, 12. Teig Wilton, 13. Cam McInnes (c). Interchange: 14. Daniel Atkinson, 15. Jack Williams, 16. Billy Burns, 17. Tuku Hau Tapuha. Reserves: 18. Jayden Berrell, 19. Blake Hosking, 20. Sam Stonestreet, 21. Niwhai Puru, 22. Max Bradbury.