Veteran coach Wayne Bennett warns NRL referees are putting players’ health at risk after they failed to stop play when Newcastle debutant Kyle O’Donnell was left heavily concussed on the ANZ Stadium turf.

O’Donnell, brother of former Test back-rower Luke, had his first foray into the NRL ended abruptly by a Sam Burgess shoulder charge late in South Sydney’s 34-14 win over the Knights on Sunday.

He was the victim of a head clash with the giant Englishman and left the field groggy and with blood trickling from a cut near the top of his nose, Knights officials taking him to hospital for precautionary scans.

But Bennett was seething after play was allowed to continue as the Rabbitohs butchered a try before the referees eventually blew a halt.

“Everybody in the ground knew the state he was in, if that’s not a reason to stop the game then and there, we’ll never have a reason,” Bennett said.

“We need to get the trainer on as quick as we can – every second we delay puts that player in further jeopardy.

“It was ridiculous what they did, everybody in the ground knew what had happened.

“It wasn’t that the game was 10-all or something.

“The NRL’s at us all the time about player welfare, we’ve all got to take a bit of responsibility for it, just can’t be the coaches and the players, the referees have got to buy into it too.”

Burgess, who was sporting a sore cheekbone where he made contact with O’Donnell’s head, expressed concern for the 21-year-old.

“I just tried to tackle him, and it was just a clash of heads,” Burgess said.

“I hope he’s all right … I hit him and I pulled away straight away. It’s never great to see someone unconscious.”