Concussion remains one of the hottest topics in the game following James McManus' landmark lawsuit against Newcastle, which has been followed by the handing down of massive fines to Newcastle, St George Illawarra and Gold Coast for not adhering to head-knock protocols.

The competition committee will consider several potential changes to its handling of the issue, including the introduction of an 18th man for affected teams. Another consideration is the use of independent medicos to assist with the diagnosis and treatment of head injuries.

The meeting comes after the NRL's head of football, Brian Canavan, discussed the issues with club trainers via a phone hook-up on Tuesday.

The governing body has left concussion calls to club doctors, believing they have the advantage of knowing their players more intimately, including their past medical histories. It's likely that independent doctors would still be used in addition to, rather than as a replacement for, club medicos in any bolstering of concussion protocols.

One of the options the NRL is considering is for an independent doctor to be stationed in the bunker, providing an additional vantage point and another set of eyes. The NRL's chief medical officer, Paul Bloomfield, spent time in the bunker last year in an attempt to establish whether the initiative was feasible. Officials have also been trialling audio for trainers and doctors to help better monitor the action.

Coaches are split on the issue of an 18th man. Some, such as Newcastle's Nathan Brown, believe it is essential to prevent teams from being disadvantaged by following the rules. Others, like Brisbane's Wayne Bennett, believes the current system is sufficient.

Isaac De Gois could be the latest player forced into premature retirement due to concussion. The Parramatta hooker hasn't played since copping a head knock in a trial against the Gold Coast in Darwin. The Portuguese international has been suffering from migraines whenever his training load is increased and will need to pass a battery of medical assessments before he can consider a return.

The NRL is currently using the SCAT3, which is the standardised tool for assessing concussions worldwide. However, an update, the SCAT5, will soon be introduced across all sports. The new tool was discussed at the AFL's concussion symposium last month but details are under embargo until they are published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Another talking point at the meeting will be the prospect of ushering in revolutionary Hawk-Eye technology that would allow the bunker to determine if players are offside from kicks. The technology was trialled during the Auckland Nines and is considered a more accurate tool than viewing camera angles alone. While the technology won't be able to rule on forward passes, it will provide an accurate gauge of where players are, for instance, offside from potentially try-scoring kicks.