Goulburn Valley: Echuca star Ben Reid out for season after

Echuca will need to overcome the loss of one of its best players to win a record-equalling fourth successive GVL flag.

Triple Echuca premiership star Ben Reid’s career could be over after a serious neck injury from the recent Goulburn Valley league match against Euroa.

Reid has undergone successful surgery to replace the C5 vertebrae in his neck and won’t play again this year as Echuca shoots for a record-equalling fourth successive GV flag.

The broken vertebrae was removed and replaced last week with a titanium plate holding it together permanently.

“He has got full use of his arms and legs and everything,” Echuca co-coach Simon Maddox said.

“But being in his 30s as well that might be the end of his footy career as well.

“That will be his decision to make.

“But if there is a positive it could have been a lot worse.

“It was just an accident.

“There was no response from the Echuca players.”

Echuca’s Ben Reid playing against Rochester in 2016. Picture: Bruce Povey

Late last week, a Euroa player was suspended for four matches at the GVL tribunal for the incident.

The GVL has agreed to a request from Euroa not to release the suspended player’s name.

Reid also played at VFL level with Geelong and finished runner-up in the Cats’ best and fairest in 2017.

“He’s been one of our best players for a long time,” Maddox said.

“He’s a three-time premiership player, played VFL footy at Geelong and also had a go in the SANFL.

“He’s been a very, very good player.”

Meanwhile, another 2024 Echuca premiership player, Cooper Willoughby, has also suffered a possible season-ending injury.

Willoughby hurt his knee playing for Deniliquin against Finley on Good Friday and is awaiting scans to determine the full extent of the injury.

Willoughby returned to Deniliquin this season and had kicked 12 goals in the opening two rounds before going down in the second half.

His brother Sam is also playing the early rounds of the season for Deniliquin before he moves interstate.