Seaton Ramblers player Darren Tremaine suffers fractured vertebra after incident against Scotch Old Collegians

An amateur footballer has been left with a fractured vertebra and temporarily in a wheelchair from a front-on hit. His opponent avoided suspension for the incident which was caught on camera.

Seaton Ramblers footballer Darren Tremaine has been left with a fractured vertebra and temporarily in a wheelchair from a front-on hit.

His opponent avoided suspension for the incident.

Tremaine spent five nights in hospital last week with a fractured T12 vertebra and does not know if he will ever be able to play football again.

The 25-year-old suffered the injury in Seaton’s division two Adelaide Footy League match against Scotch Old Collegians on Saturday, May 4.

Scotch’s Peter Rolfe collected Tremaine with a bump in the second quarter which caused the injury.

Rolfe, who played 101 SANFL games for South Adelaide, was not reported on the day.

Seaton referred the incident to the league after viewing the vision, which shows Tremaine bending down to pick the ball up before being bumped front-on by Rolfe.

After an investigation, the tribunal determined Rolfe did not have a case to answer for allegations of front-on contact or undue rough play.

Peter Rolfe pictured playing for Scotch Old Collegians against Seaton Ramblers in last year’s division three grand final. Picture: AAP/Morgan Sette

Seaton football director Terry Annett said the club was very disappointed with the outcome of the investigation.

“You need to protect the player going for the ball,” Annett said.

“The player coming front-on has a responsibility when approaching the contest.

“He (Rolfe) chose to brace himself in a bumping position and our view is the player was negligent in his approach and made high and severe contact, which under the league’s rankings should have been a (suspension) penalty.

“There was also suggestions made that Darren “contributed” to the incident with his technique. He did not duck – he bent over to pick the ball up.”

Tremaine was stretchered from the ground at Scotch College and taken to hospital, where he spent five nights.

He will be off work for six weeks and will need to undergo extensive rehabilitation.

He has begun walking small distances.

Doctors expect his condition to progressively improve.

Annett said Tremaine wanted to eventually play again but it was something which would not be considered until his rehabilitation was complete.

Adelaide Footy chief executive John Kernahan said the league did not question the process of the independent tribunal.

He also said players needed to acknowledge and accept the “elements of risk in playing Australian rules”.

“The league doesn’t need to justify the position we take with respect to the welfare of its members,” Kernahan said.

“We’re often targeted as being overtly uncompromising in our duty of care in ensuring a safe environment.

“Anecdotal discussion around a range of similar type incidents over the course of the last few weeks is players also have a duty of care to protect themselves from injury.

“Australian rules is a physically challenging game and awareness of what is going on around you is as an important skill as kicking and marking the ball.”

Scotch president Rob Coulls said the incident was cleared by league umpiring manager Colin Rowston after the game.

“A subsequent investigation by the league again cleared all players of any wrongdoing and no report or charges have been issued,” Coulls said.

Coulls thanked the Seaton and Scotch medical staff and the ambulance personnel who provided prompt and appropriate medical attention at the time.

“SOCFC wish the player a speedy recovery and hope to see him on the field again soon,” he said.

Seaton won the game 9.14 (68) to 8.12 (60). The fixture was a rematch of last season’s division three grand final, where Scotch prevailed in.

[e-mail]

Follow @patkeam