Stapling Head Wounds Offputting To
Aussie Viewers

The Australian Rugby League (ARL) today said it would ban the use of medical staple guns on the field of play after fans saw gruesome images of a player being treated during the State of Origin match yesterday.

"We want those sorts of procedures to be carried out in the dressing room rather than in full view of 3? million people watching in their lounge rooms," ARL chief executive Geoff Carr said.

"Everyone's into reality television these days ... but I don't think it would be in the best interest of our game if we continued to show that sort of thing," he said.

New South Wales player Michael De Vere had several stitches put in a cut above his eye early in last State of Origin match against Queensland in Brisbane.

His head swathed in bandages, De Vere resumed playing immediately after the treatment and later shrugged it off as "just a head cut".

Medical staple guns, which resemble common office staplers, are widely used to put sutures in cuts suffered by professional sports people - often without anaesthetic.