Face of Nation : Bizarre scenes have stolen the shine off a dominant 14.22 (106) to 11.5 (71) West Coast Eagles victory and it had nothing to do with something happening on the field.
Unlike last season it also didn’t take place in the crowd. Instead it was in the car park underneath Optus Stadium where it unfolded.
Essendon player Matt Guelfi’s night came to an early end after he was pushed in the back by West Coast Eagles player Jeremy McGovern in the second quarter.
The push saw Guelfi slam into a security guards chair before clattering into the fence.
McGovern was reported for the incident as Guelfi came from the ground and went down into the rooms.
He returned to the bench briefly before heading back down to the rooms with Essendon announcing he would take no further part in the contest.
But it was what happened next that got under the skin of two greats of the game.
With suspected broken ribs and a potentially broken wrist, Guelfi was sent to hospital for scans but cameras captured him climbing into a taxi instead of riding in an ambulance.
Players generally sent to hospital for scans are transported in the back of am ambulance, but the bizarre decision didn’t affect Essendon football boss Dan Richardson.
“His mum and dad, (Guelfi) being from Perth, they’re over here and are with him at the moment as is our welfare manager, so he’s in good care,” he told Channel 7.
“He’s pretty sore through the ribs and abdominal area, so we’ve just sent him off to hospital to get checked out.
“it’s not like an emergency or anything, just with the travel and flight back we want to make sure he’s OK and it’s nothing too serious.”
But the move from the Bombers didn’t sit well with former players and now commentators Brian Taylor and Wayne Carey.
“Unusual way to transport a player,” Taylor said.
“I don’t think it’s acceptable.
“If I was part of the (AFL) Players’ Association I wouldn’t allow that to be a precedent.
“It wasn’t even one of the nice ones.
“I would bet he’d have to fork out 10 bucks at the other end.
“It’s just not good enough.”
“It didn’t look right did it?” Carey said in agreeance.
