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There are grave fears for football great Tony Modra, who was involved in a serious truck crash south of Adelaide on Thursday.<\/p>\n
At about 5.15pm local time, police and emergency services responded to reports that a truck had crashed into a tree on Range Road, Back Valley, about 10 kilometres west of Victor Harbor.<\/p>\n
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Tony Modra speaks with media in 2024 about the AFL\u2019s mark and goal of the year awards, which he\u2019ll be forever linked to.AFL Photos<\/p>\n
Modra, who works as a cattle farmer on his property at Waitpinga, was the sole occupant of the cattle truck involved.<\/p>\n
The 57-year-old was airlifted to Flinders Medical Centre and treated for serious injuries.<\/p>\n
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The scene of the crash in Back Valley, South Australia.Photo: SA Police<\/p>\n
Modra, renowned for his high-flying marks and as one of the most popular players of the 1990s, played 165 AFL games, kicking 588 goals. He played 118 of those with Adelaide, booting 440 goals \u2013 second-most in club history behind Taylor Walker \u2013 before booting 148 goals in just 47 games for Fremantle.<\/p>\n
His impact on the Dockers was such that he was also named at full-forward in their \u201c25 since \u201995\u201d team in 2019 \u2013 celebrating their first 25 years in the national competition.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Nicknamed \u201cGodra\u201d, Modra enjoyed a breakout 1993 when he booted 129 goals and was described as \u201cbigger than Elvis\u201d as arguably the most recognisable, popular personality in South Australia. Gary Ablett won the Coleman Medal that year, followed by Modra and Jason Dunstall.<\/p>\n
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The high-flying Modra was a star for both the Crows and Dockers.Jack Atley<\/p>\n
Modra was twice named All-Australian, won the mark of the year crown three times, and kicked goal of the year in 1995.<\/p>\n
He won the Coleman Medal in 1997 but cruelly tore his ACL in a preliminary final, forcing him to miss the Crows\u2019 first premiership the following week.<\/p>\n
Modra returned in 1998 but was dropped after the qualifying final against Melbourne. The Crows went on to win back-to-back flags.<\/p>\n
He was awarded life membership at the Crows in 2008 and remained a friendly, familiar face at Adelaide Oval as a regular at Crows home games in his role as club ambassador.<\/p>\n
Modra was selected in 2021 as full-forward in the Crows\u2019 \u201cBest 22 of 30 Years\u201d side.<\/p>\n
On Thursday night, South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas described him as \u201can SA icon who has never forgotten where he came from\u201d.<\/p>\n
Malinauskas took to social media to say the former South Australian State of Origin star is \u201cdown to earth and just a really good bloke\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cTony and his family are in our thoughts tonight, and we all hope he\u2019ll be OK,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The top-of-the-ladder Dockers defeated the Cats by nine points in a thriller<\/a> on Thursday night. After the clash, coach Justin Longmuir \u2013 a former Fremantle teammate of Modra \u2013 was asked about him.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s pretty fresh for me, like it is for everyone,\u201d Longmuir said in his post-match press conference.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, [he\u2019s a] big part of the Freo family, and all I can say is I wish him and his family well.<\/p>\n \u201cHopefully, he can pull through. I\u2019m thinking of him \u2013 we\u2019re all thinking of him.\u201d<\/p>\n Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n