A 17-year-old boy was flown to hospital in critical condition after a violent clash during a footy final in Adelaide on Saturday.
The U17 grand final between Angle Vale and Two Wells at the Hamley Bridge Oval turned out of control when players engaged in a brawl during the match.
“It was pretty aggressive. A lot of push and shove, a couple of punches thrown from what I seen,” spectator Jack Martin told 9News.
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Just before half-time, Angle Vale player Henry Nau was hit.
He came off the ground before collapsing unconscious.
“Came off and he was a bit dazed and then I’m not sure, then he just collapsed afterwards,” Angle Vale player Jack Pessano said.
The match was put on hold for nearly an hour as ambulance were called, then specialist paramedics and then an emergency Medstar team.
He was then flown to hospital, where he remains in an induced coma.
“It looked pretty serious. They had the covers over the top of him and everything so no one could see him,” Two Wells player Harrison Devlin said.
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“It’s very scary. Knowing that could happen to one of my great mates who I play footy with, it’s very scary,” Pessano said.
Some witnesses claim Nau was king hit behind the play.
“At this stage we don’t whether it was a hit or accidental, we’re not sure,” Adelaide Plains Football Club president Michael Vigor said.
“We don’t condone violence, like we can understand the feeling in the game everyone wants to win but it’s just that little bit going over the top sometimes where you’ve got to settle everyone down,” Two Wells Football Club player Jackson Harnas said.
Members of the Two Wells team also believe Nau suffered another head knock earlier in the game and questioned why he was still on the ground.
“The first incident, I can’t believe they let him back on. I don’t know why they let him back on, especially with the league’s higher up rule,” Harnas said.
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