Former State of Origin winger James McManus's legal action against Newcastle centres on claims that his former club breached its duty of care to him in a series of incidents from 2012 to his concussion-enforced retirement in 2015 – including one episode in which he alleges he was directed to continue playing until the end of a semi-final against the Bulldogs.

McManus will make claims against both the current Knights entity, owned by the NRL, and the previous incarnation of the club owned until 2014 by now bankrupt mining magnate Nathan Tinkler when his case begins in the Supreme Court on March 17.

Duty of care: James McManus is tackled by the Storm at Hunter Stadium in 2013. Credit:Getty Images

The 31-year-old is alleging the club was negligent in the way in which it responded to a repetitive series of concussions by allowing him to continue playing, encouraging him to continue playing, not keeping him away from the game for long enough periods between concussions, and by having unqualified people making on-field decisions over whether he should be brought to the sideline after a head knock or not.

Among the list of "incidents" McManus is citing is from the Knights' round-one match against the Warriors in 2015 when he returned to the field after being sidelined with what at the time was reported as a suspected broken nose. He came back on, playing 68 minutes of the game.