The NRL's investigation into the Canberra Raiders' implementation of concussion protocols surrounding Josh Hodgson might take until after the grand final.
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NRL football boss Graham Annesley also says the introduction of independent doctors is not on their radar.
Hodgson appeared to stumble after tackling South Sydney prop Liam Knight in the Raiders' 16-10 victory in the preliminary final at Canberra Stadium on Friday.
It prompted commentators to question why the Canberra hooker wasn't taken off for a head injury assessment.
Souths were reportedly fuming given Hodgson set up a try and produce a try-saving tackle during the time he'd be off getting assessed.
It's standard procedure for the NRL to investigate all potential HIAs, but Annesley said the one into the Hodgson incident might not be complete until after the Raiders' grand final against the Sydney Roosters on Sunday.
"It can take some cases a week or two to finalise that information," he said at his weekly media briefing on Monday.
Hodgson was assessed by the Raiders' trainer on the field and the club doctor also reviewed the incident, but decided he was OK to continue playing.
Annesley said there were also concussion "spotters" in the Bunker, whose job it was to alert any possible incidents to the doctor.
But it's not the Bunker or the match officials' jobs to be part of the HIA process.
"There's a process where we go through where we don't jump to any immediate conclusions," Annesley said.
"The integrity unit contact the clubs concerned and they get statements from doctors and trainers that are involved in those decisions and then they get assessed in the fullness of time.
"We've clearly got professional people making medical decisions and it would be quite wrong to jump to any immediate conclusions."
Annesley said the people best placed to assess whether a player was fit to continue playing was the team doctor.
He said introducing independent doctors wasn't on the agenda and he didn't think it needed to be either.
"Doctors are people of integrity who have very ethical decisions they need to make," Annesley said.
"I would suggest to you that all doctors are independent. Yes they might be employed by a club but they make independent medical decision based on information that's available to them.
"I think it would be very unfair for anyone to suggest that doctors would makes decisions based on a football team winning or losing a game.
"Doctors have a broader responsibility to the people they look after and they take that very seriously.
"They'd all be highly offended to suggest that they don't. It's not on the agenda at this stage."
NRL GRAND FINAL
Sunday: Canberra Raiders v Sydney Roosters at ANZ Stadium, 7.30pm. Tickets available from Ticketek.