The Knock that made or destroyed a player.

[Strapping Young Lad]

Sitting at the MCG earlier this year, I watched as Luke Bruest ran with the flight of the ball, unknowingly straight into the path on an oncoming Crow who laid him flat(feel free to find a pic or video of the hit).

It was a huge hit, and one that saw Bruest stretchered from the field in a neck brace.

I'm sure I wasn't alone, but it was at this point that I wondered if I'd just witnessed the end of a career, as some players just never recovered mentally or physically from such a hit, and Bruest already had question marks over whether he would go when it was his turn.

Luke Bruest has come back almost bigger and better, and alrhough its still early, watching him at stages since in the midfield, it's almost looked like the hit has given him a belief that although he isn't a man mountain, he can take the hits without fear.

So, I'm throwing this out to everyone. Who at your club or at others, have copped a similar knock, and which way did their career go?

Please don't make this about the bump or the legitimacy of the hit, just think about whether that player was ever the same, or if you believe it made them as a player.

 

[RooMatera]

Mark Ricciuto's one that destroyed Dean Kemp

 

[TheVelourFog]

When Phil Davis got cleaned up by Sandilands it knocked all sense out of him and the next year he signed with GWS.

 

[L_W_P]

Gia's hit on Kosi owns this thread.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

A famous incident was when Bluey Adams came off the bench in the 1957 Grand Final and collided with Collingwood's Des Healey. Healey had won the Copeland Trophy that season but retired from the game saying he couldn't stand another blow like that one.

The Breust incident is one the AFL needs to address as clubs are holding players back on the bench, then allowing them to enter the arena when the ball is in the area. It is a very dangerous practice, and thankfully Breust wasn't seriously injured.

 

[Smokeyr67]

Blake Caracella, career ender and didn't even get a free kick.

He has kicked on (no pun intended) in the coaching ranks.

 

[dumb]

ablett on kristian bardsley. simon madden was it??- on gareth lyons.
was thinking peter caven but he went on for a bit longer, though it's hard to say from his wiki entry.

 

[MF]

Yeah, Caven was fine after the plugger hit. Was no better of worse for it.

 

[Trevanian]

Mark Ricciuto's one that destroyed Dean Kemp

 

[Masto]

Barry Hall on Brent Staker. Was always a flaky player but his career just disintegrated after that.

 

[Rod Stroker]

Pickett's hit on Brendan Krummel. It made such an impact I believe it led to a rule change and it effectively ended Krummel's career.

 

[moses]

Tyson Stenglein's hit on Ben Eckermann in 2005 West Coast v Port. Eckermann was never the same after the hit and never played AFL again afterwards.

 

[Rod Stroker]

Yeah, Caven was fine after the plugger hit. Was no better of worse for it.

He played on for years after that, changed clubs and won 2 flags. So it didn't "destroy" him.

 

[Rustin Cohle]

John Greening.

/thread

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Pickett's hit on Brendan Krummel. It made such an impact I believe it led to a rule change and it effectively ended Krummel's career.

Krummel suffered severe migraines from that point onward, from memory. Literally ended his career there and then.

 

[Falchoon]

Nathan Brown was never the same after his leg break, Matt Maguire too.

 

[Terex8]

Dean Wallis knocked out Schauble off the ball in an Anzac Day game. Was never the same afterwards.

Thug that played under a sniper in Sheedy.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Plenty of nominations for Knocks that destroyed a players career. Any that made a player?

 

[harropower]

Not a 'hit', but Matt Thomas pretty much destroyed Trent hentschels football career with a tackle
Played again (not a whole lot) but never the same

 

[MF]

He played on for years after that, changed clubs and won 2 flags. So it didn't "destroy" him.

That's exactly what I said in reply to the post above mine. It neither 'destroyed' nor 'made' him. He was the same player before and after.

 

[Jmac2225]

Koschitzke was shaping a star before he got his clock knocked off. Only a very average player now.

Selwood seems to get better with each concussion

 

[Rod Stroker]

Nathan Brown was never the same after his leg break, Matt Maguire too.

Browny for sure, and he's admitted as much. But Maguire? He's still playing now week in week out years after the incident so his injury hardly destroyed him. In fact this is his best year ever, averaging 82 SC points a game.

 

[Rod Stroker]

That's exactly what I said in reply to the post above mine. It neither 'destroyed' nor 'made' him. He was the same player before and after.

I know, I was supporting your argument

 

[Agent93]

Beau Waters, 2007 vs Brisbane. Hammers Jono Brown spoiling a mark.

 

[PAdman]

winston abraham took himself out