1 month ago
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A bizarre event took place during a footy match in Noosa Heads on Saturday, after a former AFL player, who was turning out for his local side, was bitten by a dog midway through a game.
Former Brisbane star Jonathan Freeman was playing for Noosa in their game against Surfers Paradise at the Rococo Oval, when he endured the bizarre encounter with the hound.
The dog had been sitting inside the fence at the oval, when Freeman made his way towards the boundary line in an attempt to recover a kick forward.
Under pressure from a Sunshine Coast defender, the 31-year-old missed the mark and, carried by his momentum, he travelled off the field, moving close to the pup.
Footage, published on Noosa’s Instagram account, appeared to show the dog move towards the footy player, who pulled up immediately, after copping a surprise bite from the hound.
But that was not going to stop him from playing on, with the footy star hobbling for a moment before getting back on with the match.
Former Brisbane Lioins player Jonathan Freeman was bitten by a dog during a local footy match
He stepped into play again, received a handball from a team-mate, before turning to goal.
Freeman swung his injured right leg through the ball, only for it to miss the middle of the posts.
‘Who would’ve thought this would happen in a game of footy?’ Noosa posted on Instagram alongside the bizarre footage.
They also shared a snap of Freeman receiving treatment from a team doctor on the touchline, with the footy star wincing as the medic dropped antiseptic onto the bite.
The footy club confirmed that the ex-Lions star had taken himself to hospital following the bizarre incident but that he was doing fine, and even cracked a joke at his expense.
‘In one of the more unexpected moments of the season, Noosa captain Jono Freeman copped a bite mid-game - yes, from an actual dog (and almost kicked the goal),’ Noosa wrote.
‘He went to hospital as a precaution and got the all clear. He’s doing fine, just maybe steering clear of the dog park for a bit.’
Freeman played as part of Brisbane’s Academy programme during his early footy years.
Freeman was playing for Noosa when a dog bit him on the boundary line. He would play on and attempted to kick a goal but agonisingly missed
He’d go on to be snapped up by the Lions in the 2014 draft, becoming the first player to move from the Academy ranks to the AFL.
The forward made 14 appearances for the Lions between 2014 and 2017, returning 16 goals.
However, injuries prevented him from amassing a regular run of appearances in the top flight, with the club opting to delist him at the end of the 2017 season
Despite that, he continued to play footy at a high level in the NEAFL with Aspley before joining up with WAFL side East Perth.
Having returned to Queensland, he’s now plying his trade with Noosa in the QAFL.
