AFL premiership forward Gary Rohan’s career is in grave doubt after he was rushed to hospital suffering a fractured skull which requires surgery.
Rohan left the field to undertake a head injury assessment after recoiling from an accidental blow by an errant elbow during the first quarter of Geelong’s VFL semi-final loss against Southport on Saturday.
Despite not needing assistance in getting to the change rooms, he was taken to hospital for further assessment, where scans confirmed the worst.
The 33-year-old has since shared a harrowing update and a photo of him lying a hospital bed being comforted by his wife Madi.
‘Not the place I had planned to spend my weekend,’ the father-of-three captioned the post.
‘Scans have confirmed a fractured skull but I am doing well and in the best hands.
‘Now just waiting on surgery. Thank you for all of the messages and well wishes.’
The injury has put an end to Rohan’s season and potentially his career as he goes enters the off-season as a free agent without a contract.
Veteran Geelong forward Gary Rohan (pictured with wife Madi Rohan) is in hospital awaiting suffering a fractured skull during a VFL match on Saturday
He had been plotting a comeback to the Cats senior team, which has booked its spot into an AFL preliminary final and is now one win away from the grand final.
Rohan has since been inundated with messages from former teammates and opponents and fans.
‘Get well brother,’ send healing vibes mate,’ Aussie country singer Troy Cassar Daley commented.
Home and Away star Lynne McGranger wrote: ‘Get well soon Gary!’
Rohan has split his season between the senior and VFL reserve team this year, last featuring in his 12th senior appearance of the year in a round 23 loss to St Kilda.
The former speedster made his debut for the Sydney Swans in 2010 and has notched 204 AFL games since.
He missed out on a premiership medallion in 2012 with the Swans after suffering a horrific season-ending leg injury in the opening minutes of round four.
Sydney went on to lose their next two grand finals with Rohan in the lineup in both 2014 and 2016.
He finally won a premiership with the Cats in 2022 against his former club, four years after being traded.
Rohan was struck in the face by an accidental elbow (pictured) in the opening quarter of the Cats’ VFL semi-final loss while he made a bid to return to the senior team for the AFL finals
Rohan took to the field in the VFL on Saturday alongside fellow aging Cats stars Tom Hawkins, Cam Guthrie and Sam De Koning, who are also all battling to get back into the Cats senior squad.
Set to retire at the end of this season, Hawkins was inaccurate with 1.3 in his return from a foot injury and first VFL appearance since 2011.
Hawkins had been the team’s top goal scorer for 11 seasons between 2012-2022, winning the Coleman Medal as the competition leading goal scorer in 2020.
Midfielder Guthrie, 32, has been struggling with injuries and only featured in four AFL games this season having only played in six the season prior.
