Former Fitzroy captain and prominent AFL recruiter Matt Rendell fighting for life after heart attack

Former Fitzroy captain and Crows recruiting manager Matt Rendell is in a critical condition in hospital after suffering a major heart attack.

Former Fitzroy captain and prominent recruiter Matt Rendell is fighting for life in hospital after suffering a major heart attack.

The football world has been rocked by the news with Rendell, 64, a popular figure throughout the industry where he has served as a player, assistant coach, recruiter and media commentator.

He suffered the heart attack while walking his dog over the weekend. He was immediately rushed to hospital where he has been in a critical condition since.

Former Adelaide recruiting manager Matt Rendell has suffered a major heart attack.

He played 164 games for Fitzroy and another 13 for the Brisbane Bears.

Rendell played 164 games for Fitzroy between 1981 and 1991, including a three-year stint as captain. The ruckman then moved to the Brisbane Bears after initially deciding to retire, playing 13 games in the 1992 season.

He was a two-time Fitzroy club champion and was also named in the All-Australian side in 1983 and 1987.

Rendell was an assistant coach at St Kilda alongside Grant Thomas before joining Adelaide in 2007 as the Crows recruiting manager.

He was forced to resign in March 2012 over comments regarding the recruitment of Indigenous players.

Collingwood then offered him a lifeline in their recruiting department and he also worked with the Magpies ruckmen.

In recent years Rendell has been a regular in the media with his forthright views heard mainly across SEN.

Originally published as Former Fitzroy captain and prominent AFL recruiter Matt Rendell fighting for life after heart attack