Gold Coast footballer recounts freak on-field incident that left him fighting for his life

“I won’t lie, (dying) crosses your mind when you’re in a position like that.” Gold Coast football player’s remarkable account of the incident last weekend that almost cost him his life

A GOLD Coast footballer has opened up about the football incident that threatened his life.

Broadbeach Cats QAFL player Ryan Pantic remains in hospital nearly a week after suffering a ruptured spleen and contusion of the bowel during a contest against an opponent in the early stages of the Cats qualifying final win over Morningside at Subaru Oval last Saturday.

“It felt like I was winded in the game and it took a while to get my breath back,” Pantic said of the incident.

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“Once I did I jogged off and sat on the bench to get my breathing back to a good rhythm but from there I started to get light headed so I tipped myself off the bench to lay on the ground on my back.

“The trainers got me to the table and asked me a few questions.

“We decided the best idea was to call an ambulance as the pain was just intensifying.”

Broadbeach Cats QAFL player Ryan Pantic was left with a ruptured spleen after an incident during the club's qualifying finals win over Morningside at Subaru Oval on Saturday, September 1, 2018. Picture: Supplied.

Pantic collapsed and fell unconscious while paramedics tried to get him into the ambulance before he was rushed to Pindara Private Hospital where scans confirmed he had close to a grade five rupture of the spleen.”

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The 28-year-old, who was moved to Gold Coast University Hospital, lost two litres of blood and conceded he thought he may have lost his life as specialists fought to stop the bleeding over the course of two surgeries.

Broadbeach Cats QAFL player Ryan Pantic. Picture credit: BC Sleep Photography.

“It was a scary time. But I’m on the other side now which is so much better,” Pantic said.

“I won’t lie, (dying) crosses your mind when you’re in a position like that but you try and stay positive.

“The primary concern was that I bleeding internally and that was life threatening.

Pantic said he harboured no ill-feelings towards the Morningside player for what he considered to be a legal contest.

“It was just a collision with his hip through my ribs but we both went hard at the contest,” Pantic said.

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