Dave Hughes’ wife Holly has joked that the comedian’s decision to go vegan played a role in the shocking injuries that saw him rushed to the intensive care unit at hospital after Thursday night’s AFL Legends match.
The 54-year-old suffered five broken ribs and a punctured lung after being hit by opponents several times during the game – but still managed to hit the after party until 2am.
His teammate on the Victorian side, AFL great Brendan Fevola, said one of those hits was a ‘dog’s act’ by ex-Brisbane Lions star Mitch Robinson on his radio show on Friday morning.
Holly Hughes called in to the Fifi, Fev & Nick show on The Fox as she stayed with her husband in hospital and lightheartedly pointed out that his age and diet likely played a role in the serious injuries.
‘It’s all fun and games to target Hughesy but I mean, he was the oldest person out there,’ she told the hosts.
‘He’s very lean at the moment.’
Dave Hughes’s wife Holly (pictured together) said she is ‘worried that the veganism isn’t helping his bones’ after five of his ribs were broken in the AFL Legends match
The funnyman ended up in intensive care (pictured) in a Melbourne hospital after copping several hits during the game on Thursday night
Hughes’s teammate Brendan Fevola (pictured) lashed out at another AFL great for a hit on the comedian that he branded a ‘dog’s act’
Nick Cody interjected with, ‘He’s always lean. Can he start eating meat now, Holly? Do you think this will get him on the steaks?’
‘Maybe. I’m worried that the veganism isn’t helping his bones,’ she replied.
While Hughes blamed former West Coast great Andrew Embley for the collision that put him in intensive care, Fevola was more concerned by the hit the funnyman received from former Carlton and Brisbane hard man Mitch Robinson.
‘I was standing right near that and he’s jacked up, Robbo [Mitch Robinson] and would have pushed his ribs in, I reckon,’ Fevola added.
‘That was a brutal off-the-ball hit. Just a dog act, that was.’
Hughes said, ‘Robbo [hit me] after I kicked the goal, I thought, “Am I going to die out here?”‘
He was also smashed to the ground by ex-AFL player turned influencer Daniel Gorringe while they were contesting a ball-up in the ruck.
Holly revealed her man was in very bad shape when she took him to hospital.
Hughes somehow managed to enjoy the post-match party until 2am – but had to be rushed to hospital by his wife three hours later
Former Carlton and Brisbane hard man Mitch Robinson (pictured) earned Fevola’s anger for hitting Hughes off the ball
‘I woke up at 5am this morning and he was still asleep but he was still moaning,’ she told the show.
‘It was not a good sound and I was like, “Babe, I think we need to call an ambulance”.’
‘I’ve just got the update, I shouldn’t be laughing because it’s reasonably serious … three cracked ribs and a slightly punctured lung, which he thinks happened in the first hit,’ she said.
‘Then he’s been cleaned up a few times after that.’
Hawthorn great and All Stars coach Shane Crawford was recorded lightheartedly telling his players to target Hughes before the match.
‘There’s one player from the Vics that I’ve really earmarked and it’s Dave Hughes,’ he told the team, who burst out laughing in response.
‘I want him to never put his hand up ever again for a game.’
Hughes referred to that in an interview with the Kyle & Jackie O Show from his hospital bed.
‘So, I was the oldest player out there. But they had my name on a whiteboard, “Target Dave Hughes”,’ he said.
‘You tell footballers what to do and they just do it because they’re robots. So it was hectic.
‘I should’ve went [to hospital] in an ambulance last night, but I complained about AFL footballers taking too many ambulances, so I said I can’t do it.’
Embley apologised for his hit on Hughes once the news of his injuries went public on Friday.
‘I just want to say that I am so sorry for my little thump on you last night that has obviously caused so much damage, you look so sore right now,’ he told 92.9 Triple M Breakfast with Xav & Katie.
‘How brave were you, big fella, to continue with the game I’m thinking of you.’
