Weekly Times | THE Horsham and District Football League has launched an investigation into the collision that left Pimpinio’s Daniel Baker with fractured vertebrae on Saturday.
Baker was stretchered from the ground after the first quarter incident during the match against Harrow Balmoral.
He was later taken to hospital in Hamilton where spinal damage was confirmed, but Baker was advised no permanent damage was done.
Pimpinio president David O’Connor said Baker on Monday sought confirmation of the diagnosis from a specialist at the Epworth hospital.
O’Connor stressed the investigation was initiated by the league, rather than at the club’s request.
He said it was lucky the club had a paramedic and two bush nurses on site to ensure proper protocol was followed as Baker was moved from the field.
AFL Wimmera Mallee general manager Stephen McQueen, O’Connor and Harrow Balmoral president Mark Caulfield would not comment further while the investigation was underway.
The game continued after the injury, and Harrow Balmoral won 19.15 (129) to 6.5 (41).
It’s the second time in as many weeks a Horsham and District league player has suffered a serious spinal injury.
Noradjuha-Quantong playing coach Jarred Combe returned to coach at the weekend after he suffered a fracture in his lower back against Pimpinio on June 13.
In May, the Ovens and King league had a scare of its own when Bonnie Doon young gun Kieran McMillan was taken from the field in an ambulance after accidental contact to his head.
Club president Dave Darby said McMillan had made a full recovery and was named in the best players in Saturday’s four-point win over Bright.
In the past two seasons South Barwon’s Casey Tutungi and Albury’s James McQuillan were rendered quadriplegics due to injuries sustained while playing football.