Tom Liberatore’s comeback match was marred by unfortunate events, beginning and concluding with a painful injury inflicted by an errant boot to his head in the dying moments of Sunday’s loss to Hawthorn.
The premiership midfielder for the Western Bulldogs marked his return to AFL action after enduring a concerning episode against Essendon on April 12, which led to his third concussion diagnosis within a year and necessitated a period of recovery in concussion protocols.
Initially slated to resume play the previous week against Fremantle, Liberatore was sidelined by a sudden bout of illness, preventing his anticipated return.
Despite finally making it onto the field against the Hawks, his comeback was short-lived as he collided with Karl Amon in a swift head clash mere minutes into the game, promptly finding himself back on the bench.
During a scramble for possession following a center bounce, Liberatore found himself in the path of Amon, resulting in a collision that saw him swiftly rise to his feet to claim a free kick for high contact. However, his involvement was brief as he soon retreated to the sidelines for a break.
Television cameras captured Liberatore conversing with a team official on the bench, visibly shaking his head, perhaps reflecting his frustration or concern over his injury-ridden return to the game.
