Veteran Hawthorn physio Andrew Lambert provided a rather comical moment when he mysteriously tumbled over twice in the final quarter of Thursday night’s pulsating draw at the MCG. It was a lighter moment during the intense battle, with Lambert seemingly falling over for no reason.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen that,” star Seven commentator Brian Taylor said at the time.
But on Friday morning the true story behind the fall came to light, with a rather serious update.
“Physio Andrew Lambert is one of Hawthorn’s most-loved staffers,” 7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary said. “Been with the club 20-plus years. Word from the rooms last night is that he suffered hamstring tendon damage in his fourth-quarter tumble.”
Cleary revealed that concerned former players, including champions Luke Hodge and Isaac Smith, went down to check on Lambert after the game. At the time, however, Smith was one of many to have a cheeky dig at the physio.
“He likes taking the piss out of everyone so that’ll be highlighted on Monday. I might head down to Dingley,” Smith said on Triple M.
AFL journalist Sarah Black said: “People dropping like flies in this game, even the Hawthorn physio is feeling for his hammy after battling to clear the field.”
After the game, Hawthorn star Connor Macdonald told Channel 7 that he had a “bit of chuckle when our physio went down and then he went down a second time”.
“So I’m sure we’ll get stuck in him for that,” Macdonald said.
“Will he make the review, your physio?” Bec Maddern asked.
“He’ll be in the highlights, for sure,” Macdonald said.
Lambert added to the night of carnage, particularly for Collingwood. Ruckman Darcy Cameron (ankle) limped his way through the closing stages of the game while utility Harry Perryman (hamstring) came off in the second quarter and looks unlikely to face Geelong next Saturday. Veteran champ Steele Sidebottom played through a hand injury, gun forward Jamie Elliott had a back issue, and superstar Nick Daicos (hip) was clearly sore and had treatment throughout the game.
Collingwood coach Craig McRae praised Perryman after the match, saying: “He’s a tough lad, this one ... I said, ‘how is it?’ He goes: ‘pretty good’. I said, ‘nine days’ time, I’m not sure’...”
McRae said Perryman would have a scan while Sidebottom’s hand looked “pretty swollen”. “We tried to get him to do a bit of a job on (James) Sicily, and he fought through that for us, was really important for the team,” said McRae. “Darcy’s got an ankle, so I’m not sure, he’ll get it scanned tomorrow.”
