Ovens and King finals rescheduled following Ben Duffield injury

The Ovens and King league has met to discuss arrangements for remaining finals matches after a player was seriously hurt.

The Ovens and King league finals series will be pushed back a week in response to the serious injury suffered by Greta reserves player Ben Duffield.

The senior final between Bonnie Doon and Greta was abandoned on Sunday when a helicopter had to land on the North Wangaratta ground after Duffield collapsed in the rooms after the reserves game.

Duffield was flown to Royal Melbourne Hospital and placed in an induced coma, but was woken on Tuesday morning.

The club’s trainer performed CPR on Duffield, who had taken a “solid bump into the ribs” during the game, according to Greta president Gary Hogan.

The Ovens and King league board met on Monday night to discuss arrangements for the remainder of the finals series.

Greta reserves player Ben Duffield was seriously injured in an Ovens and King league finals match and flown to Melbourne. Picture: Wangaratta Chronicle

The Bonnie Doon versus Greta first semi-final will be played at North Wangaratta on Saturday at 1pm.

It means all remaining finals will be held a week later than originally scheduled.

The Ovens and King grand final will be held on September 17 at Wangaratta’s W.J. Findlay Oval.

The preliminary final will be held seven days earlier at Tarrawingee.

League administrator Cam Green confirmed the revised arrangements.

“The biggest consideration remains Ben’s condition,” he said.

“I’ve never seen a chopper land in the middle of a footy field before, but such was the need.”

Green declined to reveal whether other finals scheduling options were considered.

Benalla All Blacks won through to the grand final on Saturday by beating Bright and will have a three week break before the premiership decider.

Originally published as Ovens and King finals rescheduled following Ben Duffield injury