Former NRL star Luke Keary has revealed concussion testing is getting too easy for players and needs to be changed.

Concussion tests and head injury management are an ongoing topic of conversation in NRL circles, with the independent doctor’s rulings, as well as occasions where players often either pass or fail tests, raising eyebrows.

Despite some claims the concussion tests – which are believed to include having to recite the alphabet backwards among other things – are actually quite difficult, Keary said on SEN Radio that players are simply finding it too easy.

“We’ve come a long way,” Keary said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.

“The first three-or-four- years were getting woken up by the smelling salts and getting back out there, and then obviously it turned into all the testing we have today.

“I think we’re nearly at the point where we need to change because I know as a player… the testing’s the same every year and you’re doing the same tests… you’ve basically done it so many times now, you know what you’re in for. You can kind of get through it.

“I know players that can do it when they’re in a bad way.

“But it is what it is, it’s so hard.”

Keary has had a long history with concussions throughout his career, although was able to retire on his own bat after finishing his playing days in the English Super League.

The star half said that a lot of the testing for concussions tends to be subjective.

“Because of my history, I’ve spoken to nearly all the doctors, right? None of them can give you a straight answer, no one knows the long-term (or) short-term effects,” he added.

“It’s very hard to test for it. A lot of it’s subjective, a lot of the symptoms are different in different people, like it is such a difficult topic.

“I do think we need to move the needle on that testing in-game to probably make it a little bit tougher and more stringent.

“(The Katoa) incident has been spoken about a lot. (It’s) horrible… obviously the punishment’s gotten dished out. but more so like hopefully he can get back to living a normal life and get back to footy at some stage.”