The NRL is not ready to heed fresh calls for the governing body to employ an independent doctor at all matches to assess possible concussion cases.
Former great Brad Fittler and Cronulla captain Paul Gallen on Sunday joined calls to bring in a third party doctor to assess head knocks during matches.
The issue is under a fresh spotlight after ex-Newcastle winger James McManus began legal action against the club over alleged mishandling of a series of head blows he suffered during his career.
Fittler and Gallen reiterated Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett's suggestion last year that the introduction of an independent doctor would eliminate any concern or suggestion that a coach or football department may exert pressure for a player to be allowed back on the field.
"In the concussion case, they need to have an independent doctor," Fittler told the Sunday Footy Show.
"They have to. The NRL need to be responsible to put the doctor on."
Gallen added: "You need someone on the field independently to make decisions on whether a player needs to come off."
The NRL argues that club medical staff are in the best position to diagnose concussion because they have a close relationship with the players, a stance backed by the Australian Medical Association.
Two years ago the NRL changed its policy so that team doctors are employed directly by the chief executive of the club and do not answer to its football department.
Greenberg said that the NRL was not discussing employing doctors for each match but if it got to the point where concussion rules were being flouted it could consider changing the laws.
He backed club doctors to fulfil their duty to act in the interest of players' health.
"When you use the phrase independent doctor, what you're really saying to the current (club) doctor is that they're not independent," Greenberg told Triple M.
"Those doctors are still registered physicians with their industries. Anybody who suggests that a doctor is going to take a shortcut to get a free interchange for their team or to leave a player on the field because he's being instructed otherwise, he takes probably the greatest risk in his professional career."
Greenberg also ruled out the introduction of an 18th man in the short term. Newcastle coach Nathan Brown last week called for each side to carry an extra player who could be used in the case of concussion, which would lessen the incentive for clubs to leave players with concussion out on the field.
However Greenberg said the concept was put before the coaches' committee last year but voted down.
"The consensus of support around the coaches' table was no, they didn't want to look at it this year," Greenberg said.
"But I don't think it's going to be completely off the table. Particularly, if in time, we reduce the interchange down again."
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