Country vet and footy captain saves snake-bitten dog mid-match, then saves the game for his team

A country football star performed two revivals this weekend, called away in the middle of a game to save dog with a snake bite before returning to lead his team to a come-from-behind win.

The dog copped a nasty bite from a brown snake.

A country football star performed two revivals this weekend, called away in the middle of a game to save dog with a snake bite before returning to lead his team to a come-from-behind win.

John Anstee, captain of the Deniliquin Rams in the cross-border Murray Football League, had to dash off in the middle of his side’s clash with arch rivals Finley to rescue a canine that had copped a nasty bite from a brown snake.

Luckily for the southern NSW club, its ace defender triumphantly returned to the ground a quarter later to inspire them to an unlikely come-from-behind victory.

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Anstee was pulled away from a blockbuster Good Friday clash with Finley midway through the second quarter after a call came through of a dog in trouble.

He initially thought he could be getting dragged for a spell on the bench, but it was a very different predicament.

Despite the Rams’ struggling to fire, Anstee was the on-call veterinarian for the area during the Easter weekend and needed to take the boots off during the game.

Deniliquin veterinarian and footy star John Anstee. Picture: Facebook

Feebi was the dog that Anstee saved from a snake bite.

He had been late to games before because of his work, but never had to leave in the heat of battle.

Deniliquin co-coach Sam Hall was told, “Anstee’s gotta come off”, and wasn’t about to argue.

Describing Anstee as one of the best local defenders of the past 20 years, Hall says it was a “long bloody wait for him to get back”.

The 28-year-old arrived back at Hardinge St oval 10 minutes into the third quarter before performing his second revival of the afternoon.

The Rams were battling with just nine behinds to their total early in the second half as Finley seemed destined for a vital away victory.

Anstee was thrown forward and his return coincided with a four-goal burst just before three-quarter-time as he set up a couple of majors.

The comeback continued in the final quarter as teammate Todd Gallagher finished with three goals as the Rams got up in a three-point thriller in front of one of the biggest crowds in Deniliquin for years.

John Anstee with partner Pip Robertson. Picture: Facebook

Anstee said the dog had received the all-clear and was recovering well.

“Luckily it was a nice smooth case, otherwise I would’ve missed us have a big win,” Anstee told the Herald Sun.

“Sometimes when we get (the animals after a snake bite), they’re almost unable to breathe but this was a stable case, and Tracey, one of our staff, really helped out.

“It’s just one of those things. If an emergency comes through, you have to leave and then it’s all about the welfare of the animal.

“But it ended up being a great result for the club, but also the patient with the dog being saved.”

Hall said Anstee had been a loyal member of the club and the local community since arriving from Wagga, where he had been studying, three years ago.

“Not only did he save the dog but he probably saved the game as well,” Hall said.

“John’s a very loyal bloke and he just wanted to play in the town he was living in.”