NRL Fans In Disbelief As Groggy Tyson Frizell Is Cleared To Play After Nasty Head Knock

Despite looking visibly concussed, Tyson Frizell was somehow allowed to continue playing during his side's preliminary final defeat to the Parramatta Eels - and rugby league fans couldn't believe it.

The Newcastle Knights star copped a huge hip square to the noggin while attempting to tackle opposition player Reagan Campbell-Gillard, leaving him very groggy.

Frizell initially stood up but struggled to keep his balance as he wobbled around.

Knights medical staff rushed onto the field to assist the bulldozing forward, but Frizell somehow managed to pass the on-field test set out by the trainer.

Incredibly, he remained on the pitch and even attempted to make a try-saving tackle on the next play.

"They need to stop the play. He is all over the place... They need to stop the action and get Tyson Frizell from the field," Warren Smith said in the Fox Sports commentary box.

"Given the way he reacted when he got back to his feet, all the indications were of a concussion. That should be game over, unfortunately, for Tyson Frizell."

Greg Alexander added: "It was Campbell-Gillard who took the ball forward, just dropped the hip into Frizell. Got his head into an awkward spot. He was very groggy getting up off the ground and collided with his teammate Jayden Brailey.

"You'll think he'll definitely leave the field, Tyson Frizell."

By then, Knights officials had seen enough and Frizell was then escorted from the field to conduct a Head Injury Assessment (HIA) in the sheds.

For those of us watching from home, we thought we'd seen the last of Frizell for the afternoon.

Boy, we were wrong.

The 29-year-old miraculously passed his HIA and was allowed to return to action, much to the amazement of commentator Smith.

"Gets the standing eight count here. It's hard to believe he's going to be allowed to stay on the field... He was as rubber-legged as you'll see," he added.

"That is stunning, absolutely stunning. I can't believe he's still there."

But Smith wasn't the only spectator who couldn't quite believe their eyes.

Rugby league fans flocked to social media to have their say on the matter, the majority of them stunned that Frizell wasn't concussed at all in the eyes of the trainers.

Concussions and head knocks have been a big topic of conversation in rugby league - particularly in recent years.

And this incident with Frizell will undoubtedly be a talking point in the coming weeks among NRL fans, pundits and players alike.

Topics: Concussion in sport, Rugby League, nrl, Australia, Newcastle Knights

Max Sherry

Max Sherry is a journalist for SPORTbible Australia. After migrating Down Under from London as a teenager, he instantly fell in love with Aussie sport and its culture. From NRL to AFL, cricket to rugby — you name it, Max watches it (with a beer in hand, of course). During his time at Fox Sports, he worked in the football department covering the Premier League, A-League, Socceroos and Matildas. Born a stone's throw away from West Ham's training ground, Max is obviously a die-hard Liverpool fan.

@maxysherry