EDFL 2019: Clash between Glenroy and Avondale Heights called off

There were fears two players suffered serious neck injuries during Saturday’s EDFL clash between Glenroy and Avondale Heights, with a last-quarter incident forcing the match to be abandoned.

EDFL footy: Avondale Heights v Glenroy. (L-R) Glenroy's Daniel Riley (30) and Avondale Heights' Hamish Murphy (38). Picture: Josie Hayden

Avondale Heights’ clash with Glenroy was called off in the early stages of the last quarter on Saturday after teenager Hamish Murphy was taken to hospital.

There were initial fears the Werribee VFL-listed midfielder had suffered a serious neck injury after he was on the receiving end of a knock at the four-minute mark of the final term of the EDFL Premier Division fixture.

Vision showed Murphy unsuccessfully attempt to pick up a loose ball before he collapsed in what appeared an innocuous incident.

Avondale Heights football manager Dean Campbell said Murphy was released from hospital on Sunday morning after suffering “some swelling and bruising”.

Glenroy led by six points, 9.10 (64) to 8.10 (58), when the incident occurred at Sewell Reserve and will be awarded the points.

“We were very concerned,” Campbell said.

“It’s always better being safe than sorry.

“It was getting dark and was too late (to resume the match). You don’t want to rush the ambulance guys because it was going to take them another half an hour just to get him off the ground. We just said we’d call it a day.”

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Murphy, who experienced pain in his neck, was scheduled to be checked by Werribee’s doctors on Sunday.

Campbell praised the efforts of Glenroy’s trainers.

“A Glenroy player accidentally got him…from where I could see, it looked like the back of the head,” Campbell said.

“His body sort of curled up for a bit and he was on his haunches for quite a while. As he went to get up, he was wonky on his legs and about to fall over.

“To Glenroy’s credit, their trainers were fantastic. One got there real quick and supported his head and neck as he was rolling over to his side.

“He was never knocked out.”

In an eventful game, Glenroy’s Jay O’Donoghue also sustained a neck injury during the first quarter.

He has since been cleared of serious damage.

“He had some scans done on his neck and we’re just waiting on results from that,” Roys coach Ross Terranova said.

“At least he’s home, so that’s a positive outcome. He’s got to have a couple more MRIs done because they’ve got some concerns about his discs in his neck.

“We probably won’t see Jay for the next couple of weeks.”

The result could have ramifications on the race to avoid relegation, with Glenroy (eighth) now two points clear of the Heights (ninth), while bottom-placed Airport West is a game further back.

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