Tohu Harris talks to referee Chris Butler. Photo: Photosport
Warriors coach Andrew Webster wants to see teams equally disadvantaged for head knocks caused by recklessness.
The Warriors lost both skipper Tohu Harris and Rocco Berry to head injury assessments (HIAs) in their last minute loss to Melbourne last weekend, the latter through a shoulder to the head from eventual match winner Xavier Coates.
Webster said while he fully accepted the protocols around HIAs, there needs to be an element of fairness to both the player injured and the player who caused the injury.
"If our player left the field because he tripped over and hit [his] head on the ground then so be it, but if it's from another player hitting one of our players in the head and our player leaves, why don't they leave?"
Warriors head coach Andrew Webster during the NRL Round 2 match between the Melbourne Storm and the New Zealand Warriors at AAMI Park in Melbourne. Photo: Photosport
Webster said the Warriors lost a key player through a careless Melbourne charge and there were no ramifications for the Storm.
"I hate the fact that Rocco gets hit in the head, his nose is bleeding everywhere and our player comes off and their player stays on, that's the bit I struggle with."
Berry believed he was fine to continue.
"I copped one in the head and had to go off, and I thought it was all good, but I've moved on."
However, Webster was certainly not looking for any excuses following the gut-wrenching loss.
"At the end of the day they are looking after player welfare, it can be disruptive but, it's the same for every team and it's how you adapt to it, if you sook about it, you're not going to get very far in the game."
