Nasty collision leaves Aussie rules football player a bloody mess

The photos here are amazing.

Dan Gartland | Jun 2, 2017

Nasty collision leaves Aussie rules football player a bloody mess /

Aussie rules football might be the most brutal sport in existence. Most of it involves enormous men climbing on top of each other to go for the ball. With no protective gear whatsoever, it can get pretty bloody. Just ask Geelong Cats midfielder Joel Selwood.

Selwood was involved in a scary collision in Friday’s game against the Adelaide Crows that left him with a massive gash in the side of his head.

Joel Selwood left the ground after this clash with Andy Otten. #AFLCatsCrows pic.twitter.com/SVeDKcsSfE
— AFL (@AFL) June 2, 2017

Before we get to the really gruesome photos of Selwood’s injury, check out this incredible series of shots captured by a photographer on the scene, Michael Dodge.

Alright, now for the nasty stuff. The cut left Selwood with large amounts of blood streaming down the side of his face like, he was in a horror movie.

Selwood is one tough cookie, though. You can see in this video that he pushed the team doctor away and tended to his wounds himself. He received about a dozen stitches in between quarters and came back out on the field.

“His courage is legendary. (He) puts his head in places where seemingly no other thing can happen except for him to get a sizeable knock,” former AFL player Chris Judd said on the radio after the game. “Certainly that contest in the first quarter where he did get cleaned up and opened up, that nasty gash, was brave bordering on stupid.”

Published Jun 2, 2017

DAN GARTLAND

Dan Gartland is the writer and editor of Sports Illustrated’s flagship daily newsletter, SI:AM, covering everything an educated sports fan needs to know. He joined the SI staff in 2014, having previously been published on Deadspin and Slate. Gartland, a graduate of Fordham University, is a former Sports Jeopardy! champion (Season 1, Episode 5).