Despite being head-knocked in the first few seconds of the State of Origin opener, the league giants were surprised by the decision to allow Isaah Yeo to stay on the field.
Yeo was flattened by a stubborn Josh Papali in the first hit-up of the match, the replay showing that the two players were having a head-on collision.
The clash between Yeo and Papali jumps into the commentators’ box.
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“Oh no! Isaah Yeo has stumbled, and he’s the NSW’s main man. He’ll be gone for a head assessment,” Blues Great Andrew Johns said in Nine’s coverage.
“She’s in a lot of trouble, Joey,” added former Maroon captain Cameron Smith.
It looked like the Panthers star had to get off the ground, but he stayed and was cleared by doctors who watched the video replay a few minutes later.
Former Blues captain Paul Galen said: “Isa Yoo obviously landed on that first tackle of the match, about five minutes left, he was on the field but he was checked by the coach and cleared,” said former Blues captain Paul Galen.
“Doctors have also evaluated the footage and at this stage everything seems to be fine.”
However, Johns was not convinced.
“Well, he stumbled,” she said. “I thought if you stumbled, you would automatically shut down.”
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