NRL: Brad Fittler backs Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart over 'confusing' HIA protocols

"I think he's got a really good case," Fittler said on Nine's Sunday Footy Show.

"Over the weekend, I felt like a lot of the decisions to bring [off] players were confusing.

"Sebastian Kris was one [Stuart] was talking about, and a lot of of them were wingers and centres which are really hard to cover.

"I think I saw Melbourne at one stage with Cam Munster at centre."

Following Canberra's narrow 19-18 defeat to the North Queensland Cowboys, Stuart ripped into the RLPA and NRL for not "trusting coaches" to pull players out of games if they suffer a concussion, and instead relying on independent doctors watching games remotely in the bunker to make that call.

His frustration stemmed from Raiders fullback Kris being removed for a HIA at a crucial period of a nail-biting contest, despite Stuart reporting he was "very coherent" on the sideline after the second-half hit.

Kris was later cleared to return, but whether a player passes or fails their HIA, the requirement is they remain out for at least 15 minutes - missing potentially critical moments even if healthy to keep playing.

Fittler said overall the current process was good, but he believes there was plenty of room for improvement, suggesting the independent doctors have communication with the club doctors on the ground.

"It just makes sense," he said. "Maximum communication is the key without a doubt.

"I don't mind what they're doing at the moment but they should be able to communicate with doctors on the ground.

"They're obviously teetering on the side of caution, and some of them seem ridiculous. But it's a huge subject. Communication is key. The 15 minutes is the thing that's killing teams."

Andrew Johns supported having on-ground independent doctors rather than remote reviews, arguing that the current approach is also "questioning the integrity of club doctors".

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Stuart's post-game comments came after a group of coaches similarly criticised the HIA process.

Legendary Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett demanded the current protocols be dumped and club doctors backed to make those calls.

Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo also said he was left "confused", and Knights coach Adam O'Brien hit out at the NRL's system which "jumps at shadows".

"The RLPA, the NRL - they don't trust coaches mate. Do you think I'd let a player play if he had a concussion?" Stuart said.

"And I don't just trust the player's comments when he comes to the sideline in regards to that.

"But when he's down getting his leg attended to and I ask him ... he was very coherent. That doesn't help us in that game.

"There were two of them. Okay, Corey [Harawira-Naera] might've had a HIA ... we had to [sit] two players there in very important positions for 30 minutes in that game.

"The RLPA they don't trust coaches. All they want to do is come and talk to me about how much more time off the players are going to get and how much more money.

"I didn't hear anyone from the RLPA come out and try and go to the NRL in regards to playing up here at 4.30pm in the afternoon [in Townsville]," Stuart added.

"We were very lucky it wasn't the humidity of what it was [Friday] because I think it could've been dangerous for the players' welfare."

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