NRL boss Todd Greenberg has drawn a line in the sand over concussion, threatening clubs with the loss of competition points should they continue to flout the rules.
The NRL on Monday meted out $350,000 worth of fines to Gold Coast, St George Illawarra and Newcastle after questioning the clubs about head knocks received by their players over the weekend.
The NRL has taken a strong stand with former Knights winger James McManus suing the club in the Supreme Court over the handling of head knocks throughout his career.
The Dragons were slugged with a $100,000 fine after Josh Dugan stayed on the field despite lying on the turf motionless after copping a stray elbow from teammate Russell Packer - an incident which left Greenberg "dismayed".
The Knights were fined the same amount after Brendan Elliot played on after being on the end of a brutal swinging arm from South Sydney's Hymel Hunt.
The Titans were stung $150,000 for three separate incidents involving Kane Elgey, Joe Greenwood and Ryan Simpsons.
The NRL has concerns after Titans medical staff allowed Elgey and Greenwood to stay on despite suffering head knocks.
Simpkins, meanwhile, was taken from the field and passed a head injury assessment test.
The concern is he was not in a fit state and shouldn't have been allowed to come back on.
"We have to make a stance at some point that says player safety comes first," Greenberg said.
"There's big monetary fines across the game for things like abuse of match officials and other issues and this sends a very strong message."
The Knights' and Dragons' fines are five times the previous largest sanction for the abuse of concussion rules.
Greenberg emphasised in each case there was no proof the player had suffered concussion.
However he said all players who display signs of concussion - such as lying on the ground or being unsteady on their feet - must come off to be assessed.
Each club now has five working days to respond.
Greenberg said any side which repeatedly breaks the rules would be punished and was flirting with greater penalties such as officials losing their accreditation and the deduction of competition points.
"There are always deterrents available to us under the rules," Greenberg said.
"Monetary fines are first, second would be the accreditation of individuals and officials and the third would be competition points.
"Today is a very clear sign that I hope goes across the game that when we write concussion policy it's there for a reason."
Dragons coach Paul McGregor said Dugan's injury had nothing to do with concussion and he went down with a jaw injury.
Newcastle coach Nathan Brown said Elliot had been cleared of concussion by the on-field trainer.
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