Yesterday it was announced that new Collingwood recruit Jeremy Howe is likely to miss Round 1 because of a broken finger.
But it’s not your average pre-season injury. Howe sustained this latest setback in what could best be described as a ‘freak frisbee accident’, catching his middle finger in the ground while throwing the frisbee around with his pet dog at home.
While the implications for Collingwood’s start to the season and the impact the injury could have on the Pies’ forward line are of interest, I’m instead in the mood for a stroll down memory lane to relive some of the wackiest and most unlikely off-field injuries in the history of the AFL.
Disclaimer: as someone who has been clocked between the legs with a cricket ball more than once, I will say this, injuries are never funny! Except about two weeks after you finish recovering, at which point they become really really funny.
Levi Greenwood, betrayed by his own pants
You don’t expect an injury to come when you’re at home chilling in your trackpants, but that’s just what happened to Howe’s new teammate Levi Greenwood in 2010.
A North Melbourne player at the time, Greenwood broke his big toe when he got it caught in his trackies and twisted it walking down the stairs.
Sharrod Wellingham bounces onto the injury list
The Eagles traded a first round pick for Sharrod Wellingham in 2012 so they would’ve been pretty annoyed when in his first year with the club Wellingham injured his ankle, missing the start of the season.
How’d he do it? On a trampoline of course. Wellingham ‘landed awkwardly’ while bouncing and did some damage to ligaments in his ankle, and in the end had to wear a moon boot for several weeks before he finally made his Eagle debut in Round 6.
Nat Fyfe sings Slip Slidin’ Away
Nat Fyfe is known for being one of the classier players in the AFL but like all of us the reigning Brownlow Medallist has had the occasional embarrassing moment.
In 2012, Fyfe was mysteriously withdrawn from an away match against Adelaide in the lead-up to finals. Why? Accoring to teammate Tendai Mzungu, he slipped on a suitcase while at the hotel.
A training injury of a different kind
Six-time all Australian Brad Johnson might be one of the most memorable players of the modern era, and his memorability is only enhanced by the fact that he once took a hit from a golf cart carrying drinks at training.
Already recovering from a calf injury at the time, the incident meant a longer lay-off for Johnson, whose 364-came career came to an end later that season.
Nigel Smart answers the question ‘what’s in a name?’
In 1992 Nigel Smart participated in the most poorly conceived motivational activity of all time, attempting to walk barefoot across a bed of hot coals.
In a result that should’ve shocked absolutely no one, Smart copped severe burns to the soles of his feet and missed several weeks.
That’s pretty painful – but at least Nigel learned that just because you’re a Smart, doesn’t mean you are smart.
No sympathy for a shark bite
Back in 1989 Brisbane were called the Bears and one of their players, Mike Richardson, happened to work a side job feeding sharks at Sea World.
You can see where this is going.
During a feeding show – yep, in front of a live audience – Richardson was bitten by a 2.5m long grey nurse shark for whom he was holding out a fish on a feed stick.
He later complained that the Bears weren’t doing enough to help him through his recovery, a claim that illicted one of history’s most unfortunately-worded responses from Bears general manager Shane O’Sullivan.
“If he says that to me I’ll tear shreds off him,” said O’Sullivan at the time. “He’s okay, he was in the office yesterday. He was limping but he’s not dead.”
In memory of Kurt, who would’ve found all of these stories hilarious. RIP buddy.
Maggie
Guest
No, he wasn't trying to deflect the ball or handle it in anyway, but his hand wasn't on the bat at the instant the ball brushed his glove. So technically his glove was part of his body not part of the bat. So he should have been not out. But it was so marginal that as agreed above, the decision could not be said to be an umpiring blooper. Just another one of those things that TV replays can pick up.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
that should have been handled ball in that case.
Floyd Calhoun
Guest
Bill James made his debut for Richmond in the 1920 Grand Final against Collingwood. He kicked the sealer, then accidentally shot himself in the foot with a shotgun over summer whilst out hunting rabbits & never played again due to the injury.
mattyb
Guest
I think your right MJ,that surely tops the lot.
Dean
Guest
Well, he had to make up something after being seen by dozens of people taking a big stack playing cricket. Went off and called for ice and left before the end of the match, then inexplicably was playing Frisbee with his dog not long after. They're AFL footballers, not smart people. Remember when Eddie got up in front of the media and said he believed Didak when he wasn't with Heath Shaw when he crashed his car. Then a day later had to retract. That was Classic Collingwood. If I was a Pies fan, I'd be pretty impressed how quickly Howe has shaken the Demons mantra and become one of the Magpies so quickly.
MJ
Guest
Still think none of those beats getting hit by a truck with a load of bricks whilst getting off a tram the night before the Grand Final, Bob Pratt 1935.
MJ
Guest
Also fell in a pothole doing some gardening in about 2002.
Maggie
Guest
True, but it's a good "we wuz robbed" story. Bit like Shane Warne, who never scored a century, being given out on 99 when the subsequent replay showed it was a front foot no-ball.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
I don't think anyone really holds Bowden accountable for that series loss Though letter of the law it wasn't out, I don't think many umpires would of given that not out!.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
Yep - Punter unfortunately will be remembered as the captain who lost three Ashes. That's three too many!
Maggie
Guest
I thought it was Bowden's incorrect decision to give Kasprowicz out caught behind with Australia needing only three runs to win, when subsequent replays showed that the ball contacted Kasprowicz's glove while his hand was not in contact with the bat handle,
DingoGray
Roar Guru
The funniest one I heard was at my Local 1st Grade Cricket...... The oppo opening bowler was a late withdrawal as he got his ankle caught under the break pedal of his car and was unable to walk afterwards.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
Punters putrid decision to send them in after you lost the Best Seamer in the side cost us the Ashes! I was there too Rick!
Maggie
Guest
Also not AFL - but Australian Olympic swimmer Kenrick Monk broke his elbow in two places by falling off his skateboard. And was so embarrassed he made up a story about being pushed off his bike by a hit-run L-plate driver (a story which he subsequently retracted).
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
2005 Ashes, second test - Edgbaston. Yes - not an AFL injury, but when McGrath rolled his ankle on a cricket ball playing touch football....I nearly cried. I was there - cost us the Ashes if you ask me. Mind you, it's still the best 5-test series I have ever witnessed. Shame I was an Aussie living in England at the time - oooooh the pain!
Josh
Expert
Another I could've included is the time Jonathon Brown collided with a car and the car came off second best.
Josh
Expert
Not really, I don't think it's the kind of thing anyone would bother to cover up. If he broke it that long ago I suspect people probably would've noticed his absence from training. Besides, if you're going to make up a story, who would make up "playing frisbee with my dog"?
Paul W
Guest
Jarrad Grant stung by a stingray.
Gerry
Guest
When Gary Pert played for Fitzroy he missed a game due to him choking on a biscuit the night before a game, true story ..... From Wikipedia : Early in the season, Pert suffered a bizarre injury when he went to his girlfriend's house for dinner and got a biscuit stuck in his oesophagus. The blockage remained overnight and so the following day he underwent an oesophagoscopy under general anaesthetic. He recovered in time for the Round 5 game against Richmond.
Dean
Guest
Didn't Rio Ferdinand strain his knee ligaments from playing Playstation too long with his legs up on his coffee table? This was after his massive money move to Man U, if I recall correctly. Was playing playstation to stay out of the spotlight and not get into trouble.