AFL umpire Adam Wojcik has been applauded for his courageous efforts on the goal line after stealing the show for a second week in a row during the Tigers comeback victory over GSW.
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Wojcik was left with a dislocated shoulder after colliding with Richmond star Dustin Martin in the final quarter with 10 minutes remaining on the clock as the Tigers trailed by nine points.
Martin was running towards the goal line where he soccered the ball through the sticks, before taking out the umpire and knocking him to the ground.
Wojcik was unable to continue officiating the match due to suffering a shoulder injury as he hit the ground, but was met with a standing ovation from the Richmond faithful in attendance at Docklands Stadium.
While commentating the match, AFL great Gerald Healy said Wojcik “stayed tough in the face of fire” as he left the field.
“He hasn’t even flinched and in the space of two weeks he’s turned himself into a cult hero,” Healy said.
But Martin showed little sympathy when asked about it in his post-match interview on Fox Footy.
“It was a bit of carry-on from the umpire, I think,” Martin said.
Eddie McGuire was quick to jump to Wojcik’s defence.
“I’ll tell you what, Dusty might not get a Brownlow vote after that one,” McGuire said on the commentary following Martin’s response.
“Poor old umpire has dislocated his shoulder. I don’t think that he knew that he’s dislocated his shoulder.”
This same commitment by Wojcik was shown just a week ago in Brisbane’s 95-71 victory over Fremantle when Lions defender Joe Daniher jumped on his back to knock the ball away from the line.
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