Newcastle Jets skipper, Nigel Boogaard will be unavailable for the remainder of the Club’s friendly fixture during their tour of Spain.
Boogaard left the field of play early in the Jets clash with Shabab Al-Ahli FC following a collision when challenging for the ball.
Club medical staff assessed the defender following the incident and he passed the necessary tests and continued to play.
Shortly thereafter, Boogaard notified medical staff of some concussion-like symptoms and was immediately substituted and further assessed.
Jets boss, Ernie Merrick said the Club would take no risks when it came to player welfare.
“The collision itself didn’t seem all that serious at the time, but Nigel had some delayed concussion symptoms and we immediately got him off the pitch,” Merrick said.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s a pre-season friendly or a Grand Final – any issues around concussion must be taken seriously.”
After a period of observation, Boogaard was taken to a nearby hospital for a complete assessment.
“We’re not in the business of taking any risks with this sort of stuff, Nigel’s welfare is paramount in this situation and we wanted to ensure the best care possible,” Merrick added.
“He’s been cleared of any serious injury, but we’ll continue to monitor his progress over the next 24-48 hours.”
The Club will now enact its Return to Play protocol with Boogaard to miss the Jets next two pre-season friendlies and their FFA Cup fixture on Tuesday against the Gold Coast Knights.
