AFL Draft 2022: All the latest news and results from the draft combine

In the final 30m of the 2km time trial, a draft prospect was in distress. That was when one of his mates came in with a stunning act of sportsmanship. WATCH THE VIDEO

Max Gruzewski in action. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

A stunning moment of sportsmanship from rising swingman Max Gruzewski was the highlight of the draft combine testing day, with the tall sacrificing his own 2km time trial to come to the aid of Lewis Hayes after a frightening fall at the finish line.

There were genuine concerns for Hayes, the brother of Port Adelaide ruckman Sam, when he stumbled and collapsed to the ground several times in exhaustion in the final 30 metres of the race.

WATCH THE VIDEO IN THE PLAYER ABOVE

Oakleigh Chargers draft bolter Gruzewski stopped his run and lifted Hayes up, walking him to the finish line with a support staff member.

Hayes, who is regarded as a potential first-round prospect, collapsed again before the line and finished the time trial crawling on his knees.

Lewis Hayes collapsed to the ground in the final moments of the 2km time trial

Max Gruzewski comes to the aid of Hayes and helps him up. Picture: Supplied

The 197cm defender was then tended to by a doctor and pathways staff – with his Eastern Ranges coach and former Collingwood star Travis Cloke among them — before heading into the rooms at the AIA Centre at Olympic Park.

AFL Talent Ambassador Kevin Sheehan said Hayes was recovering well and believed the fall was a result of lactic acid build-up from the run.

The tense incident came after first-round midfielder Ollie Hollands, the brother of Gold Coast young gun Elijah, pipped running machine Jason Gillbee at the post to take out the time trial in an earlier heat, with both recording a blistering time of 5:54.

Gruzewski, who was lauded by staff and his draft peers after the race for the noble act, said that the health of his Vic Metro teammate and draft combine roommate was a bigger priority to him than his 2km time trial time.

Ollie Hollands, brother of Elijah, just pips Jason Gillbee at the post in the 2km time trial at the combine.

Both ran an elite 5 minutes 54 seconds #AFLDraftpic.twitter.com/QzROJJjksL

— Dan Batten (@danbatten_) October 9, 2022

He said after the combine presentation that Hayes was still recovering, but that he was feeling better.

“’Haysey’ was struggling at the end and I think my mate’s health and how he was feeling was more important than a running race, so I thought I should help him out,” Gruzewski told the Herald Sun.

“I just tried to pick him up and sort of help him across the finish line to get it done.

“I think I’d always prioritise my mate’s health over a race or anything like that, it’s much more important.”

“I didn’t do it (to impress recruiters) he’s a good mate. At the end of the day it is more important that he’s all good than my 2km time.

“I’ve spent a bit of time with him, I’ve roomed with him at the combine so we got a little bit closer and I’ve known him for a while now.”

Gruzewski and a staff member help Hayes finish the time trial.

Hayes crawled to the finish after falling again metres before the line.

Max Gruzewski takes a screamer for Vic Metro. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Asked if he would do another 2km time trial before the draft, the high-flying Gruzewski chuckled: “Probably not. Probably have a couple of weeks off and get into it after that.”

Sheehan said it was a credit to the character of Gruzewski, and that many of the draft prospects would have done the same thing in that situation.

He believed the interrupted nature of the pathways program in recent years due to Covid may have contributed to the incident, with prospects unable to complete the same conditioning programs as they had in previous years.

“It just shows the way these boys are wired and the way in which they react when something unusual happens,” Sheehan said.

“It’s good news that Lewis is recovering inside now – maybe it’s a consequence of just over a two or three year period, that the boys haven’t had the same sort of conditioning programs that they may have had in the past.”

“I think it was just a build-up of that lactic acid that reaction can occur but he is recovering well and he is in good hands – a doctor was to him very, very quickly.

“Max was the next guy in line and good quick thinking by him to react that way but I suppose it could have been any of the other boys that would think the same way.

“That’s ingrained in all footballers right through their careers.”

Earlier, diminutive West Australian forward Darcy Jones broke the agility test record with an incredible time of 7.70 seconds, smashing former Fremantle midfielder Stephen Hill’s 14-year record of 7.77.

Originally published as AFL Draft 2022: All the latest news and results from the draft combine