Jacob Bauer, a young Richmond Tigers player, had a dream come true when he made his AFL debut against Sydney Swans on Thursday night.
However, his dream turned into a nightmare when he suffered a serious hamstring injury in the first few minutes of the game.
Here is what happened to Jacob Bauer and how he is coping with the setback.
How did Jacob Bauer get the hamstring injury?
Jacob Bauer, who was picked by Richmond in the mid-season draft, was one of two debutants for the Tigers, along with Sam Banks.
He started the game on the wing and showed some promising signs with two early kicks.
However, disaster struck when he grabbed his left hamstring after his second kick and looked in pain as he ran down the wing.
He tried to play on for a few more minutes, but eventually came off the ground and went down to the rooms.
He was subbed out of the game for Jack Ross after just 78 seconds of play time.
Sometimes footy isn't fair 💔
Dylan Grimes comforts Jacob Bauer after he was subbed out with injury minutes into his debut.#AFLTigersSwans pic.twitter.com/W4NXaDgbhN
— AFL (@AFL) July 6, 2023
How serious is Jacob Bauer hamstring injury?
Jacob Bauer’s injury is believed to be a high-grade hamstring tear, which could sideline him for several weeks or even months.
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick confirmed after the game that it was a “significant” injury and that Bauer would undergo scans to determine the extent of the damage.
He also expressed his sympathy for the 21-year-old, who had impressed him with his skills and work ethic.
“It’s disappointing for him. He’s been a really good player for us at VFL level,” Hardwick said.
Just moments after his first kick in AFL footy, Jacob Bauer has gone down to the rooms after grabbing his hamstring 😔#AFLTigersSwans stats: https://t.co/bEhcJQeQbg pic.twitter.com/F0hEN3rqH1
— 7AFL (@7AFL) July 6, 2023
Jacob Bauer injury: What next?
Jacob Bauer was visibly devastated by his injury and was consoled by his teammates and co-captain Jack Grimes on the bench.
He later posted a message on his Instagram story, thanking everyone for their support and vowing to bounce back stronger.
“Thank you everyone for all your messages of support,” he wrote.
“It means so much to me and my family. I’m absolutely shattered but I’ll be back bigger and better than ever.”
He also received some encouraging words from his fellow debutant Sam Banks, who said he felt for him and hoped he would recover soon.
“He’s an awesome bloke and an awesome player,” Banks said. “He’ll be back better than ever.”
Conclusion
Jacob Bauer is a Richmond Tigers player who had a horrific start to his AFL career when he injured his hamstring in his debut game against Sydney Swans.
He is expected to miss a long period of time due to the severity of his injury, but he has shown resilience and determination to overcome this challenge.
He has also received a lot of support from his coach, teammates, family, and fans.
