Southern league: Match called off as St Paul’s player suffers injury

The St Paul’s and East Malvern clash was abandoned after fears Bulldog Jarryd Blenkinsop had suffered a neck injury. He’s been cleared of any fractures.

A Southern league Division 1 match was called off yesterday after fears a player had suffered a neck injury.

St Paul’s forward Jarryd Blenkinsop was tackled by two East Malvern players and fell to the ground early in the third quarter of the match at Dunlop Reserve.

St Paul’s coach Jason Heffernan said Blenkinsop, a 24-year-old carpenter, immediately said “my neck’’.

The game was stopped as an ambulance was called and trainers and players from both clubs attended to Blenkinsop.

He remained on the ground until an ambulance arrived about 35 minutes later.

“He was in good spirits. He was talking and having a bit of a joke, and his parents came out on to the ground and were there with him,’’ Heffernan said.

He said Blenkinsop had been cleared of any fractures and would undergo an MRI today at the Alfred Hospital.

“No fractures but there are some concerns about ligament damage,’’ Heffernan said. “We’ll know a bit more today or tomorrow.’’

St Paul’s coach Jason Heffernan. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Heffernan stressed there was nothing untoward in the incident.

“About 10 minutes into the third quarter a ball came through the midfield and Jarryd picked it up and was tackled by two East Malvern guys,’’ he said.

“Then it became a stop-play and another player joined in and sort of took him to the ground, and as he hit the ground he said, ‘My neck’.

“One of the East Malvern players put him on his side and then the trainers came out and people were on the phone to triple-0 and they were talking to him over the phone. The whole thing was handled brilliantly. Full credit to everyone from St Paul’s and East Malvern, our trainers, their trainers, the ambos, the umpires.

“As soon as he said, ‘My neck’, bang, everything stopped. His explanation was that his neck sort of popped. He was on the ground unable to move for a good 35 to 40 minutes, in the position in he fell, just as a precaution.’’

The match was abandoned with East Malvern leading 7.3 (45) to 6.1 (37). Under AFL Victoria rules East will receive the four points.

Blenkinsop was a St Paul’s junior and played in premierships at country club Fish Creek before returning to McKinnon Oval.

Heffernan described him as a “good guy and the life of the party, very well liked’’.

He said Blenkinsop had been in “red-hot’’ form this season.

It was the second serious injury for St Paul’s in seven days: in the previous round star forward Harry Hunt suffered severe facial injuries in a clash of heads with a Port Melbourne Colts player.