Western Bulldogs VFL legend Doug Hawkins hit by lightning at Yarraville during Melbourne storm

AFL legend Doug Hawkins is lucky to be alive after being struck by lightning while sheltering in a tin shed at work during a massive thunderstorm.

The beloved 350 gamer was back at work in Melbourne’s inner city on Friday hours after being rushed to hospital feeling unwell with chills down his left arm.

The 62-year-old Hawkins compared the terrifying ordeal to playing Hawthorn Hawks arch-rival Robert DiPierdomenico in the 1980s, as he jokingly recalled the life experience that “screwed the hell out of him.”

He had just started work at the Yarraville site on Thursday when a freak thunderstorm hit Melbourne, forcing the former player, also known as Dancing Dougie, to run for cover.

Hawkins says the severe storm, which left 50,000 homes and businesses without power, was the loudest bang he’s ever heard.

“I’ve never in my life experienced the thunder we had in Yarraville,” Hawkins said Nine News.

‘It scared the hell out of me’.

“The box actually shook for 5-10 seconds.”

“I was too scared to get out of the box to run to my car, which was about eight feet away.”

“But I was too scared to go. The big tough footy player, Dougie, was actually too scared to get out.”

He described the experience as almost as terrifying as playing against Brownlow medalist and five-time premiership winner DiPierdomenico in his prime.

“This is like playing Dipper in the ’80s when you played him on the wing with the ball loose and you don’t know where it came from,” Hawkins joked.

“You just didn’t know where the big guy is, it was probably even scarier than thunder.”

“It was child’s play compared to playing against Dipper!”

Doug Hawkins (pictured in action in 1992) is a Footscray/Western Bulldogs legend

When Hawkins finally reached his car, he immediately felt a strange tan and suspected something was wrong.

After a colleague told him he looked pale and his eyes were crossed, the father-of-three called ex-Bulldogs club doctor and friend Jake Landsberger, who ordered him to go straight to the hospital.

He assured 3AW hosts Ross and Russell on Friday morning that he was feeling much better after being released from the hospital.

“I’m back on my feet,” he said.

“I got through the EKG really well and thank God I had someone behind me to take care of me.”

Doug Hawkins (pictured) was back at work on Friday, joking about the frightening ordeal, hours after being struck by lightning

Hawkins made 329 appearances for Footscray (now known as Western Bulldogs) over 17 seasons, three of them as captain.

He played one final season with Fitzroy before retiring in 1995.

Hawkins was a panel member of the AFL Footy Show in the mid-1990s before later signing with Channel Seven’s rival programme, Live and Kicking.

He ran for Clive Palmer’s United Party for a seat in the Victorian Senate in the 2013 federal election, but was unsuccessful.

He was famously dragged by his wife Raelene to a Harry Styles concert in 2017 after she won tickets from a radio station.

Hawkins had never heard of the former One Direction star at the time.

“I’d rather see The Eagles or American or Bread. I don’t want to see him,” Hawkins told Nova 100’s Chrissie, Sam, and Browny show.

‘He was with whom? I’ve never heard of them.

“I used to pedal in one direction. I can’t do this… this is a lot of manure.”

Doug Hawkins is one of the greats of the game with 350 games and 227 goals