
Footy great Garry Lyon reveals the agonising health problem that made him take drastic action just before a TV appearance
In a bizarre twist of events, Lyon told SEN Breakfast that he had to go visit the Adelaide doctor.
Lyon explained he lay down on the doctor's table to receive treatment right before going live on Fox Footy's coverage of the match.
In fact, Lyon was forced to kick Adelaide skipper Jordan Dawson out of the medics' room in order to see the doctors.
'I had to say to Jordan Dawson you wouldn't mind getting out would you, I've got a bit of a sore back. It was horrible,' he told SEN Breakfast, adding: 'Not good at all.'
Despite the interruption, Dawson would go on to lead his team by example, booting two goals on his side's way to victory. He also amassed 21 disposals and made 12 tackles.
Lyon had a back spasm right before Fox were set to go live on the game. He went into the Crows' medical rooms and sought out some treatment from a doctor
Lyon, meanwhile, enjoyed a glittering career with Melbourne that spanned from 1986 to 1999.
The half-forward played 226 games for the club, returning 426 goals during that time, before being forced to hang up the boots due to ongoing issues with his back.
'I had a nasty little situation. I did my back, it's ended my footy career but for 20 years or more it's been pretty good,' the Fox presenter told SEN.
'It just went on me on Friday and I was in a bit of pain,' he said, recounting the moment prior to kick-off.
'I had to say to Roo (Mark Ricciuto) can you get the Adelaide doctor to get me some painkillers? He said: "No worries".
'He runs down, he said they're very happy to help you out and this is understandable legally, they've got to see you.'
Meanwhile, broadcaster Tim Watson took a dig at Lyon, calling the situation 'embarrassing'.
'I was on the Adelaide Crows doctor's bench five minutes before we're going on air getting a bit of a run over,' Lyon added.
The Melbourne great has also delivered his opinion on Simon Goodwin's shock axing this week.
It emerged on Tuesday that the under-pressure Demons coach would be parting ways with the club after their 83-point win against the West Coast on Saturday.
While a premiership winner with the Dees, Goodwin's side has slumped this season, amassing a mere seven wins.
However, Lyon was perplexed by the timing of the ruthless decision.
'I'm stunned, shocked, totally shocked,' Lyon told SEN.
'I had no heads up on this whatsoever. Absolutely shocked, I can't get my head around it. He won't be coaching a farewell game, that's something I can promise you.'
Demons president Brad Green explained that the club had offered Goodwin the chance to oversee the final three home and away fixtures of the season, but the premiership-winning coach declined the offer, stating that he wanted to give the players 'clean air.'
'I always talk about the team mentality, and no one is bigger than the team. I didn't want it to be about me. It's about them and the progress they have had,' he explained, before adding that he will take some time off from footy with his family.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
26 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Revealed: Why a premiership-winning footy coach was left 'absolutely filthy' with US streaming giant Netflix ahead of crunch AFL fixture
AFL boss Chris Fagan was reportedly left 'absolutely filthy' after it emerged that he was not informed that Netflix camera crews would be entering his side's inner sanctum. It was announced earlier this year that the US streaming giant was set to produce a brand new series, akin to it's highly successful Drive to Survive Formula One series, focusing on all things going on in the AFL. The news that the production company would be heading Down Under had excited many, with Brisbane, Fremantle, GWS and Gold Coast all set to feature alongside the Western Bulldogs in the series. It is understood, according to reports in July from SEN, that the docuseries was set to follow individual players, including the likes of Marcus Bontempelli and Toby Greene. But when production teams turned up at The Gabba, premiership-winning coach Fagan was not happy. In fact, according to Channel Seven journalist Caroline Wilson, the legendary footy boss had been left fuming and had he known about Netflix's proposed plans to film his side before hand he would not have agreed to the project. reportedly left 'absolutely filthy' 'AFL staff themselves have now gone on the road with this production crew because they have ruffled feathers,' Wilson said during Monday night's episode of The Agenda Setters. 'But the really strong scenes took place at the Gabba. They (Netflix) turned up the week of the Q-Clash, Chris Fagan was absolutely filthy, said he had no idea that they were coming on board, and had he known, he wouldn't have agreed to it. 'I think he [Fagan] agreed [to host the production company] after a conversation with (footy boss) Danny Daly. Perhaps he hadn't really been paying attention, but I don't think he was thrilled. 'But they've left the Gabba now, they won't be back. 'They're at the Gold Coast — I think there was some dissatisfaction too at the Gold Coast, at how many players they wanted to get involved. Certainly Touk Miller's involved there.' The AFL have previously engaged film agencies to produce television content on the league. The 'Making Their Mark' docu-series, launched in 2021 on Amazon, was perhaps the most notable of those projects. It featured footy greats, Nic Naitanui and Eddie Betts and went behind the scenes at the Crows and Giants. Channel Seven reporter Wilson (pictured) claimed that staff from the AFL have been monitoring the production company after they 'ruffled a few feathers' It comes as series like Drive to Survive, Full Swing and Six Nations: Full Contact have taken huge steps in helping sports like Formula One, Golf and rugby union grow their audiences globally. Fagan, meanwhile, admitted he was disappointed with his forward line following Brisbane's two-point defeat by Sydney on Saturday. Despite a late fightback, the Lions were eclipsed by the Swans at the beginning of the second-half. 'Sixty-five entries. It's a lot, isn't it? It's a lot to lose,' the footy coach said, reflecting on how his side were wayward with their goal kicking. 'We did a lot of things right, but we just didn't win the ground ball in our front half, and they were able to bounce off it and that's the reason they won the game.'


Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Footy great's son steals the show with a VERY rude gesture to the crowd as his dad is farwelled by his team in emotional scenes
Jeremy McGovern's son sent footy fans into hysterics on Sunday afternoon as he produced a very rude and cheeky gesture to members of the crowd. The youngster was walking around the oval at the Optus Stadium as his dad and Eagles premiership hero Dom Sheed waved goodbye to West Coast fans, after the announcement that the pair would both be hanging up their footy boots. The Eagles legends, who were both instrumental in that dramatic final passage of play that saw the Eagles win their 2018 premiership title, stepped out onto the field at half-time during West Coast's nine-point defeat by Adelaide. They were met by cheers from the fans, but one eagle-eyed supporter captured the moment that McGovern's son, Hudson, raised his middle finger up at one section of the crowd at the Optus Stadium. He was also humorously seen sticking out his tongue as he flipped fans the bird. It comes after Eagles star-man Harley Reid has copped widespread flak this year and a big fine after he raised his middle finger to some Brisbane Lions fans during the West Coast's defeat at The Gabba in Round Two. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ya Mate Nate (@ya_mate_nate_) The Eagles No 1 draft pick had received a $1,000 fine for the act, while Geelong Cats star has also copped a hefty bill for also flipping the bird at spectators this year. But many TikTok users laughed at the funny video, with one writing: '$5 fine and has to vacuum the floors for two weeks at home.' 'Suspended for two games,' another fan joked, while another added: '$2,000 fine by the AFL,' another added. 'More like Harley Reid Jr,' another joked, while one said: 'Sign him up now.' Back in 2018, McGovern fearlessly soared through the air to take a stunning grab with just 2 minutes and 38 seconds remaining on the clock. The Eagles were trailing Collingwood by two points in the AFL Grand Final, and McGovern rose higher than Magpies star Brody Mihocek to win the ball back. What happened next has gone down in both Eagles and AFL folklore, with the key defender sending the ball forward to Eagles ruckman Nathan Vardy. He turned and found flying Liam Ryan who booted out wide to Dom Sheed on the edge of the West Coast's forward 50. Sheed, with two minutes left on the clock, kicked the winner and cemented himself as an Eagles immortal. On Sunday, touching tributes from Eagles fans for the two retiring legends were displayed on the big screens at the Optus. 'It's been a bit of a long, drawn-out process, but it's very humbling, and it was nice to get out and see the fans and say goodbye officially,' McGovern, aged 33, said. In June, the Eagles defender announced that his retirement was due to medical reasons. 'I'm at peace with it, it's OK, because I respect the game,' he said. 'The game demands a lot from players and, in this instance, it is unlucky for me but at the same time, there's a beauty to it that it can be taken away at any time. 'I hope everyone cherishes it and understands what are our players go through every time they run out on that footy field. It's sad not getting the fairytale, but I'm at peace with it. 'It's the right decision.' He had, in fact, gone into the sheds to give the team a pep-talk before the Eagles clash against the high-flying Crows. 'He was a bit nervous to do it, but he's just so passionate about this football club and it was just a nice touch for the boys,' West Coast boss Andrew McQualter said. Sheed also retires after 165 appearances for the footy club. However, a string of injuries have restricted his playing time of late. 'To play for the Club I grew up supporting has been a dream come true, but the relationships you build and memories you share from footy are what I will cherish most from my time in the game,' he explained. 'There are so many people I would like to thank for helping me along the journey, first and foremost my amazing family. 'It hasn't always been easy. There's been plenty of ups and downs, and to finish up without being able to play alongside the boys this year due to injury has been tough.'


The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
AFLW is not a side project for players who thrive on consistency and certainty
When I signed my first AFLW contract, I called my mum straight away. 'I can't believe it,' I told her. 'I'm getting paid to play footy.' It was $8,000 for the season. I was stoked. Ten seasons later, I look back on that version of myself with fondness and frustration. Back then, we were pioneers – making history just by running out onto the field. We trained at night after work, in borrowed changerooms or demountables, and iced our injuries on our kitchen floors. We didn't ask for much. We didn't feel like we could. Now, the league looks and feels different. It's more professional. Draftees can focus on footy full time. We have access to proper facilitiies (most of the time). The game is faster, stronger, more skilled, more confident. There's a growing sense of pride and of identity in what AFLW is becoming. But we have to be honest about what it takes from us. I work part-time, study part-time and train like a full-time athlete. Most weeks, I feel like I'm running at capacity. I'm proud of what I've built outside of football – and I wouldn't give that up. But it does mean that while on paper I'm a footballer, in practice I'm also a project lead, a student, a person who wakes up early, works all morning, trains all afternoon, and collapses into bed after tidying up a few tasks, knowing I have to do it all again the next day. I'm not the only one. The league is split. Younger players, often still at home, can devote everything to footy. Older players are juggling it all, and exhausted doing so. We push through, because we love the game. We want to build something lasting, but how can we when the goalposts are constantly shifting? Ten seasons, 10 different structures – different start dates, different finals series, different lengths. If we want AFLW to keep growing, it needs consistency, so players, fans and clubs can plan, build and believe in the long-term. Elite athletes thrive on consistency: of training blocks, of competition schedules, of preparation routines. Yet AFLW seems allergic to this fundamental principle. When we started in 2017, we played in summer with just seven games. Fast-forward to today and we play across winter and spring, with multiple rules changes, and a different number of games each season. This constant flux isn't just administratively annoying – it's physiologically damaging and takes a serious mental toll. Your body adapts to training periodisation. Your mind craves predictable rhythm. When you don't know when the next season starts, or how long it will run, you're setting yourself up for either under-preparation or burnout. This year alone, I spoke with friends from other teams – all of whom spent the first months of the year completely differently. Some played VFLW, some did running, some did nothing. Everyone is doing something different, and each year presents a new challenge because there's no blueprint to follow. While the AFL has just confirmed the AFLW will remain in its current time slot indefinitely (between August and November), there is still the question of rule changes, number of games and what the matches look like. You can't perfect what you can't predict. You can't optimise preparation when the target keeps shifting. Compare this to established sporting competitions worldwide. The AFL season runs for roughly the same duration each year. The Premier League has maintained consistent season structures for decades. Athletes in these competitions can plan multi-year development cycles because they know what they're training for. The inconsistency extends beyond scheduling to our systems. The reality is stark: part-time support staff managing full-time injuries. Our physiotherapists juggle other jobs, and are available throughout the six months of the year we are in season. When you're nursing a grade-two hamstring tear or battling chronic shoulder instability, you can't reschedule your recovery around someone else's availability. Yet that's exactly what we're forced to do. Minor issues snowball into season-ending problems and we're left scrambling to find continuity in our care. Sign up to From the Pocket: AFL Weekly Jonathan Horn brings expert analysis on the week's biggest AFL stories after newsletter promotion What people don't see is the mental burden this places on us. This isn't about making excuses – it's about recognising that true athletic performance requires excellence in support systems too. We deserve better than hoping our bodies hold together long enough to showcase our talents. We deserve infrastructure that matches our commitment, medical support that prioritises our health as much as our performance, and competition structures stable enough to allow us to reach our peak potential. With so much turmoil in the world – conflict, climate crises, division – AFLW offers a rare sense of unity. It's an inclusive, joyful space that reminds us what community can be when we get it right. The talent is rising, the personalities are shining, and the stories behind the game – the banter, the gossip, the resilience – are worth sharing. We don't want to be just like the men's league. We're building something that's our own – more connected and more grounded. In a way, AFLW takes us back to what footy used to be. There's a sense of nostalgia playing at local fields, a contested game. But we do want to be taken seriously. That means seeing us not as a side project, but as a central part of the AFL's future. Nicola Barr is an AFLW player with St Kilda and the Decarbonising Sport Lead at FrontRunners.