Kolora-Noorat, South Rovers game called off due to young Lion's injury

The 16-year-old was involved in an incident on the Power's half-forward flank with three minutes to go in the third term of the Warrnambool and District league senior match at Noorat Recreation Reserve.

Umpires stopped play and called an early end to the quarter with Picken in the hands of trainers.

An ambulance was called soon after with trainers confirming they did not want to move the teenager before paramedics arrived at 4.42pm.

Picken was concussed in the incident and later placed in a neck brace as a precaution before being transported to hospital.

He stayed overnight at Warrnambool Base Hospital and had scans, which have come back all clear, and will have an MRI on Monday.

Soon after coaches Adam Matheson (South Rovers) and Ben Walsh (Kolora-Noorat) agreed to call an end to the match with one quarter still to play.

"I left it to 'Matho' (Adam Matheson) and said 'whatever call you make we will support you'," Walsh said of the call to abandon the game.

Listen to the latest episode of our weekly episode The Main Break:

READ MORE:

"It is always difficult and it's even harder when it's one of your players and even so I said 'whenever you think the time is right to call it off we will support that'.

"It was common sense and we are certainly feeling for them and hoping their player is ok."

Kolora-Noorat were 16.11 (107) to South Rovers 8.7 (55) when the match was abandoned at three-quarter-time.

Main field umpire Steve Walker, who is also president of the Warrnambool and District Football Umpires Association, said he didn't see the incident but play was stopped immediately after he was made aware of the injury.

"I heard the whistle and turned around to see what was going on and that is when I saw one of the umpires signalling player on the ground," he said.

"Then it was common sense of whoever has the footy just hold on and wait for a second.

"There was still a couple of minutes to go in the third quarter but clearly if the player is on the ground and the trainers have got to him and he is not good and there is a couple of minutes to go just blow the siren, blow time and see what happens from there."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:

Walker said the call to halt the game with a quarter to go was based on common sense and up to the coaches.

"If the player was ok and they were precautionary they could have picked him up and you let them get him off the ground and go from there," he said.

"But in this instance once the ambulance was called and the medicos said they don't want him moved then we don't know how long that is going be and common sense says 'let's come back and talk to the coaches'.

"Not to be rude, but this is not for sheep stations and if the two coaches for the respective club are happy that that is the result at three-quarter-time and are happy to run with that then you do.

"It's no use sitting here and saying 'we're going to play out the last 30 minutes once he has been moved'.

"You have probably waited about 30 to 40 minutes and players would've cooled down and whether either side's players really want to go back out after seeing that it is not something you necessarily want or the guys need to go back out and do so.

"Both clubs are happy with that and they are happy to sign and shake on that as a result I'm not going to step in and say 'no these are the rules', it's a bit of common sense and let's run with that."

READ MORE:

Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.