Tiger tells of waiting for ambulance
Michael Gleeson
The Age
July 6, 2006
INJURED Richmond midfielder Chris Newman has complained that he had to wait 15 minutes in the Tigers' changing rooms before an ambulance came to take him to hospital after he broke his leg at the MCG last weekend.
Newman was given morphine by the club doctors to treat his pain but was unable to leave for hospital until a second ambulance arrived to replace the one he would be transferred in.
"The law is they have to have another ambulance on standby waiting so I just had to sit there and grit my teeth and sort of wait it out," Newman said on Channel Nine.
The young player has been consoled by teammate Nathan Brown, who had an almost identical break to his leg last year. Brown has advised him not to rush his rehabilitation — a process that, without setbacks, Newman hopes will have him running before Christmas and playing again by round one next year.
Newman knew immediately after the sickening clash with Magpies forward Leon Davis that he had seriously injured his leg.
"I felt it straight away then obviously looked down at my leg and saw that it was in a bad way and I think I went into a bit of shock after that," he said.
Tigers coach Terry Wallace has condemned the callousness of some Collingwood fans in jeering the player as he was taken from the ground.
"I think it was only a couple of people, so I have got no issue. I was just a little bit disappointed for my mum, more than anything," Newman said of the fans.
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