Southern Districts footballer Nick Weightman opens up on being knocked out which caused a Round 4 match to be abandoned

A Southern Districts defender has opened up on the incredible support he has received since being knocked out during an AFLNT game.

With the support of both the entire playing list at Southern Districts, and plenty of Buffaloes, Crocs defender Nick Weightman is back on his feet after being knocked out in NTFL’s Round 4, and arguably playing his best footy yet.

The Bungaree product, playing in his just his third game in the Men’s Premier League, was unconscious out for several seconds in the second term of the match at Cazalys Arena, forcing it to be abandoned.

Weightman told the NT News he remembered venturing backwards, hoping to get a spoil on a ball kicked high and deep into Buffaloes’ attacking 50 on October 23.

“I ended up spoiling it ... but I got hit from behind and went over the top of my teammate, I think it was Frazer Driscoll and landed on my head and back awkwardly,” Weightman said.

“I remember most of the incident until I hit the ground, I was out for a little bit.

“I remember the feeling of my legs getting taken from under me, it’s not a good feeling.

“I think I was out for about five or six seconds, maybe a bit longer.”

Nick Weightman returned to Men's Premier League against Nightcliff after being knocked out against Darwin Buffaloes. Picture: Tymunna Clements/AFLNT Media.

Weightman said he eventually came to with a Buffaloes trainer beside him, feeling a “massive corky” in one of his legs.

Some had reported Weightman said he couldn’t feel his feet at one point, but Weightman's memory of the incident is still a bit hazy.

“I was still a fair bit out of it,” he said.

“I think I said something about my leg was sore or something like that.

“It sparked everyone to go into panic stations.”

Weightman was swiftly taken to hospital and the match called off, with Buffs leading 41-15, under AFLNT protocols regarding more than 30-minute breaks in play.

However, after spending four hours under observation, Weightman was eventually allowed to go home: “It was pretty lucky, it could have been a lot worse than what it was.”

Weightman was simply overwhelmed by support, from both Crocs and Buffaloes.

“We’re a pretty tight group of boys, I pretty much got a message from every player on the team," he said.

Southern Districts gather against Nightcliff in Round 6. Picture: Tymunna Clements / AFLNT Media.

“For a bloke who has only been there two or three weeks ... that made me feel pretty good.

“I can’t thank (Buffaloes) enough.”

After taking a day off work – he’s a casually-employed tradie – and the following round against St Mary’s, he returned against Nightcliff at Norbuilt Oval in Round 6, picking up 16 possessions in a 19-point win.

Weightman said he didn’t face too many mental hurdles returning to the field, and was a realist, considering the type of footy he was playing.

“You’ve got to expect to get hit pretty hard sometimes,” he said.

“That’s footy, it’s a contact sport. That’s what you sign up for when you’re jumping back into a pack like that.”

However, in arguably his best game for the season, Weightman was moved into the midfield against Tiwi Bombers on Saturday, after Ronald Fejo called in sick before the team took the ferry to Bathurst Island, and Jake McQueen copped a head knock in the second quarter.

Until then, the former North Ballarat VFL player had been a solid contributor in defence – in the club’s top five for rebound 50s and top 10 for one percenters – but relished the chance to get his hands dirty in the middle.

And his confidence began to soar as the Crocs played their best footy of the season, piling on 9.1 in the third quarter to set up a 40-point win.

In one telling passage of play, Weightman soared across the pack to pull in a strong mark and goal, just before the main break.

“I thought I worked my way into the game as best I could ... I was a bit more cleaner than I have been so far,” he said.