Just 59 seconds into his first game in nearly four weeks, Collingwood defender Jeremy Howe came off worse for wear after a \u201csickening\u201d collision with Hawthorn midfielder Jai Newcombe. <\/p>\n
Out on the interchange wing, the two tough nuts contested a loose ball at close to full speed \u2014 collecting each other front-on in the process amid a clash of heads.<\/p>\n
The veteran Magpie was instantly knocked out<\/a>, with play halted a dozen seconds later as Newcombe began to compose himself.<\/p>\n FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a car crash \u2014 credit to both players. Howe bodylined the ball, and Newcombe put himself in harm\u2019s way,\u201d David King said in the minutes after the collision.<\/p>\n \u201cIncredibly brave, and he just had a head clash. It\u2019s sickening to watch \u2026 It\u2019s really difficult to watch if you\u2019re a teammate of Jeremy Howe\u2019s right now too.\u201d<\/p>\n Play was stopped for several minutes to allow Howe adequate medical care, before carrying him off on a stretcher as Newcombe was taken down the race for a Head Injury Assessment (HIA).<\/p>\n Magpie Jeremy Howe is stretchered off the MCG.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cThe good news is, that it seems it\u2019s only a concussion for Howe \u2026 he was certainly alert, he was moving his arms and talking to those medicos,\u201d Fox Footy reporter Jon Ralph said at quarter time<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cNewcombe\u2019s collision with Howe is surely going to be assessed as a football accident. He chose to tackle, not bump.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is very different to Steven May on Francis Evans. It is very different even to Liam Ryan who ran headlong into Trent Rivers last week. He didn\u2019t even seem to protect himself there. I think (Newcombe) does a very good job at wrapping up his opponent, as brutal as his collision was.\u201d<\/p>\n Team mates check on Jeremy Howe.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n The 35-year-old Howe was taken to hospital at the start of the second quarter as a precaution for a CT scan.<\/p>\n Remarkably, despite spending more than 10 minutes sidelined after the collision, Newcombe was cleared to return to the contest and starred in the first half.<\/p>\n He went into the main break as the second-leading disposal getter on the ground with 16, six clearances and five score assists.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an amazing first half given that incident,\u201d AFL great Jason Dunstall said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt looked a genuine attempt to tackle \u2013 he had the arms open. <\/p>\n \u201cHe copped a pretty big hit as well but he was able to shake it off.<\/p>\n \u201cWe hope that Jeremy Howe is OK and it\u2019s just a minor concussion and nothing more. That would be the best possible result for him.\u201d<\/p>\n Howe will miss at least Collingwood\u2019s Round 23 clash with Adelaide next Saturday night.<\/p>\n