Traralgon football star Stuart Goddard plays with defibrillator implant after his heart stopped twice

STAR midfielder Stuart Goddard plays heart-stopping footy — literally. He has had to be shocked back to life twice after collapsing during matches.

STUART Goddard had a big heart for footy. But out of the blue, it stopped beating.

The passionate midfielder was running out for the Traralgon Football Club, when he suddenly felt dizzy and short of breath. He blacked out and slammed into the ground.

On two separate occasions, he woke up surrounded by concerned teammates. He was dazed and his face was covered in blood.

“People just said I started swaying and running forward trying to get my balance and then I just hit the ground,’’ Goddard said.

“I have no recollection of any of it happening.’’

Stuart Goddard was fitted with a permanent defibrillator after his heart stopped on two separate occasions while he was playing football. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Health suddenly became a much greater priority for the 23-year-old who was forced to step away from the game until doctors determined what was going wrong.

A cardiologist eventually diagnosed him with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy — a condition in which the heart muscle becomes too thick, forcing the organ to work harder to pump blood.

He needed a defibrillator fitted inside his chest to literally give him a kickstart when he needed it.

“Most of the boys didn’t believe me at first,’’ Goddard said. “I came and told the coach and he was pretty shocked.

“Then I told the team what I had and that hopefully I didn’t die between then and when I had the operation.’’

The midfielder said teammates were shocked by his hypertrophic cardiomyopathy diagnosis. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Surgeons inserted the device on the left side of his chest and secured electrodes through his sternum.

“It picks up any irregular or slow heartbeat and sends a shock to my heart ... and away we go,’’ Goddard said.

Undeterred, the young player returned to footy training three weeks after the operation. He was playing another fortnight later and was part of the reserve squad’s 2016 premiership win.

Head trainer Leah Quenault said watching Goddard run out for the first time after his recovery wasn’t easy.

“The first game he played I was a nervous wreck,’’ she said. “Obviously it plays on your mind but we have all the protocols in place and we can only be really positive about his return.

“It just shows that it is possible to overcome significant issues and get to where you want to be.’’

Stuart Goddard has a defibrillator permanently fitted to his heart to keep it pumping and still runs out for Traralgon each weekend. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Senior coach Mark Collison said Goddard’s return to competition was a mark of the kind of player he was.

“When you’re young and you love your sport, to have it taken away from you can be distressing in exactly the same way it is for elite sportspeople,’’ he said.

“It can really hurt, being away from your mates and the supportive club environment.

“Stu was desperate to get back to playing and we couldn’t get him back soon enough.

“He doesn’t seemed to show any fear. He goes as hard as he ever has.’’

Goddard said the experience made him realise not to take life for granted.

“Things can be taken away pretty quick,’’ he said. ``But I still try and live as normally as possible.

“There are a lot of people much worse off than me. I just try to go about life and make the most of it.’’