Collingwood star Jeremy Howe suffered a sickening head injury during the opening minute of his side’s clash against Hawthorn at the MCG on Thursday.
As Hawks star Mitch Lewis cleared his side’s lines, Howe, leapt up in the air to take the mark but collided with Jai Newcombe as the pair competed for the footy.
The pair appeared to bump heads in the clash, with Howe’s head also appearing to hit the ground as he fell to the floor.
The Collingwood defender, 35, lay motionless on the ground as play continued, but medics on the touchline immediately sprinted onto the field.
Newcombe got back to his feet but Howe lay motionless, with team doctors arriving to treat the footy star.
‘Just a big head clash and he was out straight away, the umpires did the right thing and stopped play immediately. All care needs to go to that man,’ Kane Cornes said on Channel 7’s coverage of the match.
Jai Newcombe (left) and Jeremy Howe (right) were involved in a horror collision during the opening-minute of Thursday night’s clash between Hawthorn and Collingwood
Howe appeared to lose consciousness as he fell to the ground, before hitting his head on the turf
Medics quickly rushed onto the pitch, realising the seriousness of the injury, before Howe was taken from the field via a stretcher
Fans were shocked into silence as replays of the horror clash were played on the big screens inside the MCG.
Howe was later taken from the field on a stretcher, but in a positive sign, he was seen moving his arms.
‘Thoughts are with Jeremy Howe and his family watching at home,’ Mark Howard said on Fox Sports coverage of the match.
Newcombe also left the field for a head injury assessment.
David King on Fox Sports coverage added: ‘It’s really difficult to watch if you’re a team-mate of Jeremy Howe’s right now.
‘The emotional impact that that can have. They’re almost family, these guys, you spend so much time with each other.
Touching scenes emerged as Howe’s team-mates rallied around the defender to make sure he was doing OK as he left the field
‘It has to impact them. Both parties, really. Both with Jai and Jeremy.’
King added: ‘Sometimes it’s hard to stay focused. You lose concentration for the game because in reality, there’s a greater price being paid right now.’
Howe has been a standout for the Magpies so far this year, helping guide his side up to joint-top of the AFL ladder.
Agonisingly, the injury comes just as Howe was making his return to action after having been ruled out since Round 18 with a groin injury.
More to follow…
