What happens if I might have a concussion during a match?

A player with a suspected concussion is removed from the field through the Head Injury Assessment (HIA) process and must not return the same day unless the attending doctor allows it.

• Your trainer assesses you on the field, including the modified Maddocks questions (what ground, which half, who scored last, what team you played last week, whether your team won the last game). An incorrect answer means you are removed from the field.
• You are also removed immediately after a blow to the head if you lose consciousness, lie motionless or are slow to get up, have balance or coordination problems, are disoriented or confused, lose memory, look dazed or blank, or have a visible facial injury together with any other sign.
• The game day doctor assesses you over a mandatory 15-minute HIA period, including a 5-minute rest, a neurological examination and an online SCAT6. Your team has a free interchange while you are assessed.
• If the doctor diagnoses concussion, you do not return to the field that day. If you are found not to have a concussion, you may return but must be regularly re-evaluated by the Head Sports Trainer.
• If you are unconscious or have neck pain, you are immobilised and treated as a spinal injury.

When in doubt, the doctor is in charge and has the final say.

Source: 2026 Statewide Competitions Operations Manual, Appendix 5.