Photo: GoFundMe
Melbourne Australian rules footballer Nathan Fitzgerald has died, two days after sustaining a head injury during a club match.
The 27-year-old teacher is believed to have suffered several successive head knocks, including hitting his head on a covered cricket pitch after a heavy fall.
Mernda Central College, where Fitzgerald taught, said he was “an exceptional young man who brought warmth, energy, kindness and genuine care to every part of his life.”
Here is what happened.
Incident
Fitzgerald was playing for Epping Football Netball Club’s (FNC) reserves team on Saturday.
During the match, it’s believed he clashed heads with another player, then sustained a boot or knee to the head before falling to the ground.
He struck his head on the synthetic cricket pitch in the centre of the field, which has a concrete base and is harder than the surrounding grass.
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Fitzgerald was taken to hospital, and on Sunday, Epping FNC said he was receiving “end-of-life care”.
On Monday evening, the club announced that Fitzgerald had died.
Mernda Central College, where he was a teacher, also paid tribute, describing him as a “deeply valued member of our school community”.
“Nathan represented the very best of education. He cared deeply about young people, built strong and meaningful relationships, and made those around him feel seen, supported and valued,” the school said.
Epping FNC has also launched a GoFundMe for Fitzgerald's family, which had raised more than $97,000 as of Tuesday morning.
Grounds
Fitzgerald’s death has sparked a broader conversation about using cricket pitches for other sports, including AFL.
Epping FNC president Luke De Vincentis told ABC radio: “We have to be able to use these facilities for multiple purposes, but the risk does come that there is quite a hard strip of surface in the middle of the ground.”
A WorkSafe Victoria spokesperson said they have been notified and “inspectors will make inquiries to determine what further action may be required.”
