Two Western Region Football League senior players have escaped serious spinal injury in their respective Round 5 matches last Saturday.
Altona forward Ben Fogarty and Tarneit Titans player Brayden Trewin escaped permanent injury after both men were involved in two separate head-on collisions.
In the Division One match between Altona and Werribee Districts, Fogarty was accidently struck in the head during the third quarter, forcing play to be suspended for just under an hour while ambulance officers attended at the scene.
Sent to the Royal Melbourne Hospital for scans, the 20-year-old was released on Sunday morning with the all clear.
Down the freeway at Wootten Road Reserve, a similar scene was unfolding with 18-year-old Brayden Trewin stretchered off the field in his side’s Division Two clash with Sunshine Heights.
In his first senior game with the club playing alongside brother Jake, Trewin was taken away by ambulance with suspected spinal injuries after colliding with another player in the third term.
Despite the two men having been cleared of any serious long-term effects, both have been advised not to play football again.
Altona Football Club administrator Eleanor Vivoda said that whilst the Viking’s star midfielder-forward was no longer allowed to play, his health was the most important thing.
“He’s definitely a big loss for the club. Ben has been with us from the under 9s right up to the seniors and is just a great person to have around.
“With his partner due with their first child in August, I think we are all just really glad he is ok health wise and that he was available to walk away relatively unharmed.”
Vivoda said that Fogarty was one of the lucky ones.
“According to the doctors, they said that if it had been a few centimeters either way of where he was hit, it could have been a lot worse.
“Ben is still obviously recovering from the weekend and is a bit bruised up, but he was down at training last night with the boys and is in good spirits.”
Tarneit president Sue Thornton echoed Vivoda’s message, expressing her thanks to the football community for their well wishes.
“I’d like to thank the whole WRFL football community for all the well wishes we have received for BT, the support is much appreciated.”
Last Modified on 15/05/2014 15:59