Collingwood’s Jeremy Howe suffers sickening injury in Round 1 AFL blockbuster

There were sickening scenes in the Round 1 AFL blockbuster when Collingwood defender Jeremy Howe suffered a horrific injury.

Collingwood players flocked to Jeremy Howe.

Collingwood defender Jeremy Howe has suffered a sickening injury in the Magpies Round 1 blockbuster against Geelong at the MCG on Friday night.

The Magpies started 2023 where they left off last year, overcoming an early deficit to hit the front and claim a thrilling 19.11 (125) to 16.7 (103) win over the reigning premiers in a high scoring affair.

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But the match was soured by a horrific incident in the third quarter when Howe broke his arm while attempting an intercept mark.

Geelong’s Tyson Stengle was poised to mark a high ball but Howe, a renowned high flyer, launched himself through the air.

He collided into Stengle’s back and tumbled down onto the MCG turf, with his body weight landing on his arm.

Howe immediately knew he had broken his arm and was in excruciating pain.

The incident was so horrific the host broadcaster opted not to show replays of Howe’s fall out of respect.

He was attended to by Collingwood’s medical staff and stretchered off the field on a medicab after several minutes of lying on the turf.

Jeremy Howe went flying through the air. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Then crashing to the turf. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

That looked painful. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Collingwood players flocked to Jeremy Howe.

“How he came down, his full body weight was on his arm when he came down,” Luke Hodge said on Channel 7.

“This is the risk players put their body through. Howe flies for a ball, he puts himself at risk every time. You don’t want to see stuff like that. Stengle going back with the flight.”

Commentator Brian Taylor said: “The commitment there was amazing. It’s worse than a normal break, let’s put it that way.”

Jeremy Howe, broken arm for sure. Poor bloke. #AFLCatsPies

— Higgo (@Higgo74) March 17, 2023

What is going on at the ‘G tonight?! Absolute carnage 😬
I hope that green whistle kicks in quick for Howe. Sounds horrendous #AFLCatsPies

— Nat Edwards (@Nat_Edwards) March 17, 2023

Jeez if they’re not even gonna show a replay of it it’s gotta be horrific #AFLCatsPies

— Leonardo Puglisi (@Leo_Puglisi6) March 17, 2023

The courage and commitment of these Footballers is unreal! I hope the guy will be okay 🙏🏾 #AFLCatsPies

— BigSauce (@alantwilliams) March 17, 2023

Oh damn. That was not good #AFLCatsPies

— Greg Jericho (@GrogsGamut) March 17, 2023

It looked really ugly. 🙏 Howe #AFLCatsPies

— Antoun Issa (@antissa) March 17, 2023

Thoughts are with Jeremy Howe 💙#Untameable | #AFLCatsPies

— Geelong Cats (@GeelongCats) March 17, 2023

Makes you sick. That’s an awful injury

— Darren Parkin (@Darren_Parkin) March 17, 2023

Jude Bolton said: “On ground level we heard that hit from here. That was huge. Stengle going back, Howe eyes for the ball. When they hit the ground, we could actually hear it vibrate.”

“It’s a sick feeling as a teammate,” Richmond legend Matthew Richardson said.

“It can really affect you. That’s what they do now. Howe came off his own man to impact that.

“It looked like Stengle was going to take an uncontested mark at one point and Howe just made up that much ground. They sacrifice themselves for the good of the team.”

Stengle also left the field and entered concussion protocols.

Earlier, Geelong defenders Tom Stewart and Sam De Koning were injured in the first quarter, but De Koning returned to the field and played out the game.

Collingwood trailed at every change but produced a vintage late surge, kicking eight consecutive goals to hit the lead early in the fourth quarter.

The Magpies were 22 points behind at one stage in the third quarter but the comeback victory over the Cats sends a massive statement that last season’s narrow wins were no fluke.