A BATTERED but buoyant Nick Kellow is back home – and the first thing he wanted to do post-surgery was get to training at Echuca United last night and support his teammates.
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The 21-year-old underwent an extensive operation on Monday to repair his shattered jaw after he was punched during the game against Nathalia at the weekend.
The Riverine Herald has seen a spectator’s video of the incident.
There is no way to hear what may have been said by the players on the field, but it does show several of them jostling and shoving each other and then suddenly one player punches Kellow in the face.
That punch put Kellow in Echuca hospital overnight on Saturday before he was flown to Melbourne by air ambulance to the Austin hospital where the operation was done on Monday.
Doctors have told Kellow once the swelling in his mouth goes down, he faces dental surgery to have teeth removed.
Kellow’s mother Lynda said doctors were happy with the surgery.
“But Nick is very sore and tired and just glad to be home in Nanneella,” she said.
“He will have to visit the surgeon again in two weeks for a review of the procedure but everything is looking up now. And he will have some stitches removed over the next week.”
Because of the damage and the surgery, Lynda said Nick would be forced to exist on a soft puree diet for several weeks.
“Nick told us he really wants to see his mates at the club; wants them to know he is right there to support them just as much as they’ve been there for him already,’’ she said.
Murray Football League general manager Dale Norman said no report had been made on the day of the match, but Echuca United had until Friday afternoon to submit any reports to the league.
While Murray Football League games are taped by competing clubs, video is not required to be submitted to the league, and is not viewed unless an incident is brought to the league’s attention.
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