Former Clydesdale Russell Voll laid up in hospital with serious injuries from a workplace accident

The former Toowoomba Clydesdale premiership winner retired from rugby league with few injuries, now he faces a challenge back to fitness with calls for community support.

Former Toowoomba Clydesdale Russell Voll came through years of heavy physical contact of rugby league relatively unscathed only to find himself laid up in a hospital bed due to a freak workplace accident.

A tough no nonsense forward who was a member of the all conquering Toowoomba Clydesdales team which won the 1996 State League Cup, Mr Voll was used to keeping an eye on the competition ladder, but it was a ladder of a different kind that was to finally put him on the injured list.

“He was helping a mate out on a worksite,” Mr Voll’s wife Samantha explained.

“The last thing he remembers is going up the ladder.

Russell Voll after the Queensland Cup rugby league grand final between Toowoomba Clydesdales and Redcliffe at Suncorp Stadium, Saturday, August 31, 1996.

“His son Tristan heard a thud and turned around to see Russell on the ground surrounded by blood and he was ‘out’ for about five to seven minutes.

“Tristan rolled him over and admitted first aid as per the directions given over the phone by the ambulance station, he only knew he was alive because he was snoring,” she said.

Rushed by ambulance to hospital, Mr Voll had sustained concussion, two badly broken ribs, a punctured lung, broken wrist and other injuries.

He remains in hospital under strong painkiller medication during a recovery which is expected to take up to eight weeks before he can return to “light duties” if there is such a thing for a builder.

His good mate Damien Matthews has set up a GoFundMe page under the title Give Big Russ a Hand to help cover costs of the mounting bills incurred by Mr Voll’s family while he is incapacitated.

“When Damien first mentioned the GoFundMe page we said ‘no’ as we know there are a lot of people out there worse off than us,” Mrs Voll said.

Russell and Samantha Voll with their daughter, Brisbane Heat star Georgia Voll, at the Sports Darling Downs Sports Star of the Year dinner.

“However, we as a family have had a very tough year and things are mounting up, so I suppose you have to put your pride aside.

“But we’re very, very fortunate to have good friends and family around us and very fortunate that Russell, though a long way to go, is on the mend.

“The kids are all chipping in and we’ll get through this but, yes, it will be difficult.

“Russell needs time to heal and we’ll see from there.”

From his hospital bed, Mr Voll thanked all for their concern and best wishes.

“I got through my rugby league career without many injuries at all and to think this is all from something as simple as climbing a ladder,” he said.

“It’s so frustrating.”