Coach’s Emotional Message for Club Great Tony Modra After Shocking Truck Crash
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has shared a deeply personal message for club legend Tony Modra, learning of the AFL icon’s severe truck accident just minutes after his team secured a dramatic come-from-behind victory against Geelong on Thursday night.
Longmuir had just witnessed his side overcome a 28-point deficit to clinch a thrilling 14.15 (99) to 14.6 (90) win at Optus Stadium, extending Fremantle’s club-record winning streak to 13 games. It was in the immediate aftermath of this significant win that he was informed of Modra’s condition.
The 57-year-old former Adelaide and Fremantle star remains hospitalized following a collision involving a cattle truck near Victor Harbor in South Australia on Thursday evening. Longmuir, who played alongside Modra during his tenure at Fremantle, expressed his profound shock at the news.
‘A Big Part of the Freo Family’
“It’s pretty fresh for me… obviously [Modra is] a big part of the Freo family,” Longmuir stated. He extended his well wishes, saying, “All I can say is I wish him and his family well. Hopefully, he can pull through. I’m thinking of him, we’re all thinking of him and his family. Thoughts are with them.”
Tributes Pour In for a Sporting Icon
As news of Modra’s accident spread, messages of support and tributes began to emerge from across the nation. South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas lauded the former high-flying forward as a significant figure in the state’s sporting landscape.
“‘Mods’ is an SA icon who has never forgotten where he came from. Down to earth and just a really good bloke,” Malinauskas commented. “Tony and his family are in our thoughts tonight, and we all hope he’ll be okay.”
Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes also paid homage to Modra, whom he described as a childhood hero. “He’s my hero, he has been since I was 10 years of age. He’s a fighter,” Cornes remarked.
A Legacy in Australian Rules Football
Modra played 47 games for Fremantle after joining the club from Adelaide before the 1999 season. He is widely remembered as one of the most popular figures in the history of both Adelaide and Fremantle football clubs.
Social media platforms were inundated with messages of support from Adelaide supporters. One fan wrote, “Sending positive vibes for Tony’s recovery, you are a legend mate. Keep fighting.” Another posted, “Devastating news….sending love to all family & close friends…absolute legend of the game.”
Modra’s AFL career included 118 games and 440 goals for Adelaide, followed by 47 games and 148 goals for Fremantle. A two-time All-Australian and the 1997 Coleman Medallist, Modra cemented his status as one of the game’s most electrifying aerialists, with his spectacular marks becoming a hallmark of his career throughout the 1990s.
A Remarkable Comeback Victory
The somber news followed one of Fremantle’s most impressive performances of the season. The Dockers trailed by as much as 28 points midway through the second quarter, appearing on track to see their winning streak halted. However, the team found a new level after halftime, kicking 10 unanswered goals to dramatically shift the momentum and secure a hard-fought nine-point victory in front of 55,201 spectators.
Star ruckman Luke Jackson was a pivotal figure in the comeback, delivering a dominant performance with 28 disposals, 26 hit-outs, six clearances, and three goals.
“He just keeps building, doesn’t he? He keeps growing as a player,” Longmuir said of Jackson. “He’s got fitter and stronger and his contest work is super and it was great to see him go forward and hang on to a couple of marks and finish his work off and get some reward that way.”
