‘Shattered for the young man’: AFL debut over in just 78 seconds in heartbreaking scenes

A youngster’s AFL debut ended is just over a minute, breaking an unwanted record as commentators were left “shattered” at the sad scenes.

Jacob Bauer is hugged by Dylan Grimes on the bench.

Richmond youngster Jacob Bauer has broken an unwanted record for the fastest substitution in AFL history.

The Tigers kept their finals hopes alive with a 12.16 (88) to 11.9 (75) win over the Sydney Swans, spurred by a second half comeback at the MCG.

Bauer, 21, was one of two players to make his debut for the Tigers on Thursday night, along with Sam Banks.

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But the debut soon turned into a disaster when he tweaked his left hamstring while delivering a kick inside 50 to Dion Prestia.

Bauer immediately grabbed at his leg and was limping just 78 seconds into the game.

“I’m a little worried he might have done his hamstring,” Alister Nicholson said in commentary on Channel 7.

“He grabbed the left hamstring after he kicked the ball to Prestia. The trainer came out to him. He was visibly hobbling.”

Jacob Bauer did his hammy just over a minute into his debut. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Jacob Bauer grabs at his hamstring. Photo: Michael Klein.

Hamish McLachlan said it was a sad story for Bauer, who had kicked “a goal after the siren in the VFL twice in the last month”.

“Mid-season rookie draft last year finally gets his opportunity at senior level and he’s into the rooms inside a few minutes,” he said.

“For the record, Jacob Bauer — two kicks at 10 per cent efficiency but sadly only on the ground for 3 minutes and 48 seconds.”

Jacob Bauer (hamstring) subbed out in the 12th minute of the game.
Now holds the record for the earliest in the game for a debutant to be subbed out, 103 seconds quicker than Jack Martin in 2014.

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After being taken down into the rooms for assessment, Bauer was substituted out of the game for Jack Ross, who kicked two first half goals for Richmond.

Jacob Bauer was left heartbroken. Photo: Fox Footy.

In touching scenes, a visibly upset Bauer was hugged by Tigers co-captain Dylan Grimes on the bench as he put his training top back on.

Richmond legend Matthew Richardson said: “That’s disappointing. I feel sorry for him. Family all down here from NSW.”

Two-time Swans premiership winner Jude Bolton said: “Just shattered for the young man. Debuting on the MCG and subbed out of the game.”

Jason Dunstall said on Fox Footy: “He did show us in that 78 seconds two beautiful field kicks that hit the target, he came in and had an immediate impact.

“This is the harsh reality of the game, he looks like he has a hamstring strain, but he showed enough in the 78 seconds of being involved in the game that he belongs out there.”

Sydney dominated the early part of the game, putting their goalkicking woes from last week behind them to take an 18-point lead into halftime with the score 54 (8.6) to 39 (5.6).

But the Tigers were too strong in the end.

Richmond skipper Toby Nankervis is set to come under scrutiny for a late bump to Jake Lloyd’s head that forced the Swans defender to be substituted out of the game.

Originally published as ‘Shattered for the young man’: AFL debut over in just 78 seconds in heartbreaking scenes