Keary calls for concussion testing overhaul after shock revelation

Former NRL star Luke Keary has called for an overhaul to in-game concussion protocols, revealing players have figured out how to pass concussion testing, even when suffering symptoms.

Concussion testing has re-emerged as a prominent issue within the NRL after Eli Katoa suffered three serious concussions during the warm-up and game when Tonga played New Zealand in late-2025.

Katoa ultimately suffered a brain bleed as a result and was ruled out of the 2026 season, while three members of the Tongan medical staff copped two-year suspensions.

Keary, who had numerous concussions of his own throughout his career, praised how far the game had come in recent years, but believes now is the appropriate time to update the test and protocols.

“We've come a long way,” Keary said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.

“The first three-or-four- years were getting woken up by the smelling salts and getting back out there, and then obviously it turned into all the testing we have today.

“I think we’re nearly at the point where we need to change because I know as a player… the testing’s the same every year and you’re doing the same tests… you’ve basically done it so many times now, you know what you're in for. You can kind of get through it.

“I know players that can do it when they’re in a bad way.

“But it is what it is, it’s so hard.

“Because of my history, I've spoken to nearly all the doctors, right? None of them can give you a straight answer, no one knows the long-term (or) short-term effects.

“It’s very hard to test for it. A lot of it's subjective, a lot of the symptoms are different in different people, like it is such a difficult topic.

“I do think we need to move the needle on that testing in-game to probably make it a little bit tougher and more stringent.

“(The Katoa) incident has been spoken about a lot. (It’s) horrible… obviously the punishment's gotten dished out. but more so like hopefully he can get back to living a normal life and get back to footy at some stage."

In recent years, the NRL has seen an increase in players retiring prematurely due to repeated concussions.

Lachlan Croker is the most recent example, retiring in December after lingering symptoms from multiple concussions.

Keary clarified when he retired in 2024 that his decision was not due to his own problematic concussion history, despite mounting media calls for him to make that choice.

But while it wasn’t the core reason behind his decision to move to the Super League, the premiership five-eighth confirmed it was something he thought about when it was at its worst.

“There were a couple of times obviously I thought about it, I think I went through a really bad run in 2019,” Keary said.

“I just tried to stay level a bit there's a lot of people calling for it at different times and all I could do was talk to the professionals and listen to them, but it was hard because they didn't have the information.

“They don't have all the information; they don't have the big picture.

“There's a lot of things you gotta weigh up. There's financial, there's the love of the game, there's your health, your long-term health, your family, things change when kids come and things like that, but there's a… few times you went, is the risk worth the reward? Am I putting myself in danger?

“And in the end, it was more of a gut feel, and then the conversations you have with these neurologists and doctors that specialise in and around the world, and kind of putting it all together in your own kind of mind and heart.

“It is a very difficult topic, and we're starting to see more and more players kind of retire from it now.”