See Hawthorn AFL star Chad Wingard ‘sever his tongue’ in gruesome accident against GWS
GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING: Watch the moment Hawks star Chad Wingard ‘slit his TONGUE’ in horrific accident that required surgery
- Wingard did not return after a sickening injury
- Has returned to Melbourne for surgery
- Came during a crushing two point loss to GWS
Hawthorn star Chad Wingard has a torn tongue and needs surgery following the Hawks AFL loss to GWS.
Wingard was taken to hospital after half-time of Sunday’s match at Norwood Oval after suffering a horrific injury.
He was scheduled to fly back to Melbourne with team support staff on Sunday evening and undergo the surgery.
“That sounds awful to me,” said Hawks coach Sam Mitchell.
“I can imagine it’s not good for him … an operation on a torn open tongue seems awful.”
Wingard was bleeding profusely from the mouth after his tackle went wrong in the third quarter
The Hawks star suffered the shocking cut when he attempted to tackle a Giants player in the third term and his head collided with his opponent’s back, causing him to bite through his tongue.
Blood flowed profusely from his mouth when he was immediately lifted off the ground.
“He actually cut the tongue quite a bit…they need to stitch that up and he’s ready for the game,” Channel Seven’s Mark Soderstrom explains.
Former Hawthorn star turned commentator Shaun Burgoyne added: “From what I understand he doesn’t wear a mouthguard.
“If you’re going to cut your tongue, that means you’re biting your tongue.”
Harry Himmelberg’s price for free agency AFL increased several times after he won the game for GWS against Hawthorn and then also saved it.
The Giants’ key forward, who is a restricted free agent at the end of this season, was the hero at Norwood Oval on Sunday, winning 10.17 (77) to 11.9 (75).
The Hawks star was taken to Melbourne for surgery after partially cutting his tongue when he bit it during Sunday’s heart-stopping two-point loss.
Wingard’s injury – seen chasing GWS star Tom Green during their Gather Round clash – sounded ‘appalling’ to his coach, Sam Mitchell
He took a high score and kicked a goal in the 28th minute of the last quarter to put the Giants ahead by three points.
Three minutes later, Hawks forward Jarman Impey launched a long bomb from 50 yards out and Himmelberg had positioned himself on the defensive to help maintain their small lead.
He was on the goal line and managed to make contact when passing the ball.
After a few anxious moments, the score review ruled it a touched behind.
Fellow key striker Jesse Hogan also got a strong score off the kick-off and a minute after Impey came so close to replacing Himmelberg as the game winner, the final siren sounded.
“He has capabilities on both sides of the ground, so he’s a perfect fit,” said coach Adam Kingsley.
“In one breath he won us the game, he also saved us the game. It’s a pretty special effort… but we know he won’t have those opportunities without his teammates.”
With Himmelberg yet to decide what happens at the end of the year, Kingsley made it clear that the swingman is a big part of their plans.
“He is a very important cog in what we want to build. Whether that’s forward or backward, we have that luxury with his ability to play on both sides,” he said.