‘Punched in the face’: Western Bulldogs star Rory Lobb clocks Mason Cox

Western Bulldogs star Rory Lobb has found himself in hot water after he landed a flush closed fist to the face of a Collingwood rival.

Western Bulldogs star Rory Lobb has found himself in the spotlight on several occassions on Friday night at the MCG.

With the Dogs celebrating their 100-year anniversary, it was Lobb who became the main talking point.

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In the final quarter of a hard-fought contest, Lobb found himself in the thick of it after delivering a closed fist flush to the face of Collingwood’s Mason Cox.

As the Pies looked to work their way forward, Cox was found all alone by Nick Daicos around 80m from home.

Watch the horror moment in the video player above

Lobb attempted to close the space on Cox and stuck his left arm out in an attempt to spoil the ball, but he missed the ball completely and inadvertently clocked his opponent square in the face.

The hit left Cox laying on the turf with his hands in his face before he was helped from the ground by a physio.

Cox was shown on the bench only moments later with heavy swelling and two cuts under his left eye.

Lobb hits Cox flush in the face. Credit: Fox Footy.

Cox shows off the injuries. Credit: Fox Footy.

Collingwood coach Craig McRae expected Lobb to be scrutinised by the match review officer for his late hit on Cox.

Lobb attempted to spoil Cox from behind in the final quarter, but his errant fist hit the big American flush in the face, cutting open his cheekbone.

“It looked from the vision that he got punched in the face so he got a couple of stitches,” McRae said.

“I assume so (Lobb will be looked at). A guy leaves the ground with a couple stitches.”

McRae said Cox’s glasses may have contributed to the cut, but suggested it shouldn’t be a consideration from MRO Michael Christian.

“Potentially, but he got punched in the face. Yeah,” McRae said.

Lobb’s hairdo turns heads

Earlier, Lobb raised eyebrows after he strolled out onto the hallowed turf with a head full of blue hair in what was an eye-catching new look.

The former Dockers player made the bold move to dye his hair in traditional Footscray blue in honour of the club’s anniversary celebrations.

Despite the good intentions behind the new look, fans wasted no time in mocking the key defender with the hairstyle quickly going viral.

AFL had some fan with Lobb's look.

A lot compared him to Funky Miller.

Where his inspiration came from.

Lobb went full blue for the Dogs.

While his new look stole the show with those watching on, Lobb delivered a masterclass display in the opening quarter for the Dogs.

The towering defender stopped almost everything that came his way with AFL legend Jason Dunstall heaping praise on him.

“The man in the blue hair has had an outstanding first quarter for the Dogs,” Dunstall said on Fox Footy.

Despite Lobb doing all he could behind the ball, it was Collingwood who emerged victorious with the 10.16 (76) to 10.10 (70) win.

Originally published as ‘Punched in the face’: Western Bulldogs star Rory Lobb clocks Mason Cox