St George Illawarra Dragons young gun Talatau Amone will have to pass through concussion protocols if he is to join his teammates after the NRL's representative round next Sunday against the Canberra Raiders.
Amone, who played for Tonga in Auckland on Saturday afternoon during an eventual losing effort to the New Zealand Kiwis, copped a stray knee in a tackle just 14 minutes from fulltime.
He would remain on the ground after the tackle, having got his head into an awkward position at the end of the run before being kneed.
Tongan medical staff would then take Amone from the ground, and with the contest into the final 15 minutes, he wouldn't return before fulltime.
It will now mean the young half, who struggled wearing the number seven for Tonga on Saturday afternoon, will have to pass through concussion protocols in just eight days if he is to turn out for the Dragons against the Raiders in Wollongong next Sunday.
While Amone struggled as the team's sole kicker against a fired up Kiwi outfit, with Kotoni Staggs playing out of position to join him in the halves, his form for the Dragons in the lead up to the international weekend has been strong.
Amone played what could be considered his best game in the NRL before the representative round as he and halfback Ben Hunt led the Dragons past the South Sydney Rabbitohs 32 points to 12, having been in front 32 points to nil during the first half of the contest, also held in Wollongong.
The longer turnaround may give Amone a chance of passing fit for the clash.
New Zealand would ultimately win the Test 26 points to 6, sending a warning shot ahead of the 2022 Rugby League World Cup, to be held in England at the back end of the year.
