SYDNEY Swans coach John Longmire has confirmed that Gary Rohan is “moving okay”, after a sickening collision in which he fell on his neck midway through the third quarter against Carlton at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.
Rohan cartwheeled over Carlton defender Sam Rowe, as he ran back with the flight of the ball in an attempt to spoil.
The Swans utility had his feet taken from out underneath him and was immediately knocked out when he hit the turf.
Rohan was stretchered off the ground and rushed to hospital, but in positive news he was alert and talking to people — including his family — in the changerooms.
“He’s having precautionary scans. He’s moving okay,” Longmire said after the Swans’ 19-point loss.
“It obviously didn’t look good and it looked as though he was in trouble for quite a while.
“That’s the thing that you notice. Normally when a player cops that sort of hit they’re able to get up pretty quickly. He certainly didn’t look like he was moving too flash.”
The umpires let play continue, despite Carlton’s Alex Silvagni reportedly yelling for the game to be stopped, with Rohan lying on the turf motionless.
Play eventually stopped after Matthew Wright kicked a goal to extend Carlton’s lead.
While there was backlash on social media as to why play didn’t stop sooner, Doc Larkins told 3AW the umpires were following the right procedures.
“The protocol has changed so if they don’t think it’s near the play they don’t have to stop it until the first available chance to stop play,” Larkins said.
“They didn’t do anything wrong there (but) it looks a bit strange.
“It was up at Carlton’s end and they got a goal, but if Sydney ask the question they’ll be told the umpire doesn’t have to stop play unless he thinks there’s a concern.”
More to come …
Originally published as Concern for Rohan after sickening collision
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