GFL 2023: St Albans young gun Joe Osborne loses tooth, sent to hospital after eventful senior debut

A third generation youngster’s debut started on a former AFL player. It ended with him getting stitches in hospital. And somehow he played on after a nasty incident.

Joe Osborne had an eventful debut for St Albans.

Playing on a former AFL player, getting named in the best, losing a tooth and ending up in hospital.

That was the eventful GFL debut of third generation St Albans player Joe Osborne, who followed in his father Craig and his club icon grandfather Ron footsteps in donning the Supersaints guernsey.

Osborne was given the tough first assignment of former North Melbourne player Cameron Delaney and while the Grovedale star had a big impact with four goals, the young defender looked like he belonged at the top level.

But it was in the second term that his day would take an unexpected turn.

An accidental collision saw a Grovedale player’s head clash with his chin, forcing him to bite down on his own teeth and crush a molar.

Showing grit in more ways than one, Osborne spat out his crushed tooth into a cup and played out the game and finished among the Supersaints’ best six on the ground.

But after the match he was sent to hospital, where he got three stitches.

Craig, St Albans’ president, said his son learnt a valuable lesson from his debut: always wear a mouthguard.

Joe Osborne runs onto the field for his debut GFL senior game. Picture: Supplied

Osborne got stitches after going to hospital. Picture: Supplied

“He played full back, so his first game rocked up and play his against Cam Delaney and he wasn’t overawed he just did his job and didn’t look out of place at all,” Craig said.

“He is a big body and he ended up losing a tooth and getting three stitches for his physicality.

“I think that happened in about the second quarter, he played it out. He came to the bench and spat broken teeth into a little cup and then went out and played again.

“The trainer came up to me after the game and said, ‘there’s Joe’s broken tooth in here’.

“Luckily it was his back tooth and not his front, it was one of his back molars. When the guy’s head hit his chin, which cut it, it then forced him to bite down on his teeth which crumbled his tooth.

“He’s got a mouthguard but he doesn’t like wearing it, so now he knows and understands the importance of wearing a mouthguard.”

Still in Year 12, Osborne has represented Geelong College at APS level throughout the season which has delayed his GFL debut.

Craig said he and Joe’s grandfather Ron, an eight-time best and fairest winner and St Albans Hall of Famer, felt an enormous sense of pride watching him out for the first time at senior level.

Joe Osborne receives his jumper from his grandfather, Ron. Picture: Supplied

“I got probably more nervous than (Joe), he just got on with it. Because he played Geelong College all year, he has played there for the past three years but now he is in Year 12 and playing very similar position against some very good players in that APS competition,” Craig said.

“It doesn’t happen often, you think about how long it takes to have three generations go through a club.

“Very proud moment for myself and my family, and especially my father who is a club hall of famer and living legend having won eight best and fairests at the club.

“He has struggled a bit this year just with health. He wasn’t going to let any health issues get in the way of watching his grandson run out.”

Originally published as GFL 2023: St Albans young gun Joe Osborne loses tooth, sent to hospital after eventful senior debut