This is exactly what happened to former AFL champion Luke Hodge after an ER basketball injury. The crash, which was caught on camera, led to a serious traumatic brain injury for him. The 39-year-old, who was just inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame, took a misplaced elbow right to the forehead. This occurred while he was participating in recreational social basketball. This unusual injury needed several stitches to sew up a long cut on his head.
The episode happened while playing for a friendly team, and it was arguably Kathy’s competitive drive and fighting spirit that came out again in Hodge’s case. Surprising even him, known for his combative and fearless style of play as an AFL player, by the injury. “I got a nice little elbow right in the forehead,” Hodge recounted, showing that he remained light-hearted about the situation.
Hodge was on the The Agenda Setters panel soon after this all went down. He still sported a very evident gash running across his forehead. His continued presence on the show sparked both alarm and good-humored remarks from his fellow panelists. That’s it, it’s old-man basketball Kane,” Kane Cornes said, joking about the savage brutality of their back-and-forth.
Just months earlier, Hodge had endured an even more painful setback when he blew out a hamstring playing pickup basketball. After that incident, he had pledged to incorporate Pilates into his routine in an effort to strengthen himself for future activities. In April, he even shared footage of the moment he tore his hamstring, revealing his commitment to staying active despite the risks.
“Do you reckon you should give up on sport?” – Luke Hodge
When Hodge came home after his most recent injuries, his family provided a quick dose of reality. They pressed him on whether it was time to re-evaluate his administration’s engagement with the sports. Dale Thomas weighed in on the discussion, stating, “We have; he did a hamstring with similar results, and now the (gash).” That conversation about Hodge’s sports activities persisted between his comrades while on the road town-hall patterned panel discussion.
Kane Cornes suggested an intervention might be necessary after the show, further emphasizing the playful yet earnest concern from his friends. I believe we should all meet there and stage an intervention by tonight’s end, Cornes said. Caroline Wilson chimed in, suggesting that “the intervention might be closer to home,” indicating that Hodge’s loved ones might have pressing concerns regarding his safety.
Even with the painful injuries and endless ribbing from his buddies, Hodge showed a remarkable sense of humor throughout it all, chuckling about his most recent misadventure. He shared his love of sports. It’s this enthusiasm that pushes him to continue doing the things that make him happy.
