It is not uncommon for a player to refuse to leave the field or voice their grievances at a trainer when being assessed for signs of concussion, says legendary former Blues coach Phil Gould.
His comments come in the wake of Newcastle prop David Klemmer’s bizarre axing after he reportedly refused to leave the field as directed during the Knights’ loss to the Bulldogs, before allegedly yelling at trainer Hayden Knowles.
“It’s normally the case. I don’t know how many occasions where it wouldn’t be the case that you ask someone to come off the field – particularly a senior player – and he says, ‘No go away’. [He] certainly wouldn’t be the first trainer to cop a gobful off a player,” he told Wide World of Sports’ Six Tackles with Gus.
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“As much as we’re all mates and we’re all working for a common cause, when you’re in that sort of heat of battle you will say things on the football field, you will react each way. That’s just part and parcel of the game and part and parcel of being close as a group.”
Because of the surprise of Klemmer’s dropping from outside the club, Gould believes there must be a skirmish developing at the Knights behind closed doors.
“I don’t want to put words in their (the Knights’) mouth, but I can only imagine there’s more to this. It’s not just because he didn’t come off the field or he had words with a trainer, I mean that’s not uncommon at all.
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“There has to be more to it.
“You’ve got to put it in context, you’ve got to tell me what else was happening in the game or what else was happening around the relationship or what else has been said at half-time, pre-match, during the week or whatever.
“So unless they divulge that or unless someone knows the answer, it’s worthless even trying to speculate.
“If you’re only taking our information through the media, then we’re not getting the full story.”
According to Gould, Newcastle’s response to Klemmer’s on-field behavior is disproportionate when an altercation between players and staff can be resolved with a quick check-in.
“If in fact you had taken offense to the fact that he did that, that’s a two or three minute conversation – grab the trainers and sort it out,” he said.
“I’m not saying it’s right or that you condone (that sort of behaviour), it’s usually sorted after the game.”
The incident comes in a week of turmoil for Klemmer after it was reported the Eels tried to snatch him from the Knights before the August 1 deadline. However, Newcastle refused to let him go.
According to The Mole, it is likely the veteran prop will part ways with the club at season’s end despite having another 12 months to run on his lucrative contract.
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