Australian Football League Legend Peter Matera, 53, Suffers Heart Attack

West Coast Eagles legend Peter Matera, 53, suffered a heart attack in Victoria.

The AFL great and premiership player is recovering in a hospital in Bendigo after the incident on Sunday.

Matera was drafted by the Eagles in 1989 and played 253 games for the club.

West Coast great and premiership player Peter Matera has suffered a heart attack in Victoria.https://t.co/6JhzsCDszR

— Real Footy (AFL) (@agerealfooty) May 30, 2022

West Coast great Peter Matera is recovering in a Bendigo hospital after suffering a "severe" heart attack. #9Newshttps://t.co/9wjntENITx

— 9News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) May 30, 2022

https://twitter.com/AFL/status/1529435865004515328

From The Age:

Matera kicked five goals playing on the wing for the Eagles in the 1992 grand final against Geelong and won the Norm Smith Medal as the team won its first flag in the club’s history.

The next few seasons were the prime years in Matera’s career as he came runner-up in the Brownlow Medal count in 1994, which was the same year the Eagles won another premiership. Matera continued to play through until 2002.

Since retiring he has served as a member of the AFL tribunal and started the Matera Foundation in 2014 to provide employment pathways for Indigenous Australians.

Wide World of Sports added:

“He’s in hospital in Bendigo right now… two stents in his heart and rehabilitating as we speak,” Hardie said on Monday morning.

The 53-year-old reportedly suffered a heart attack on Sunday and shortly after had two stents placed in his heart.

“We’re not sure exactly the extent of it at this stage,” Hardie said.

“Rehabilitating as we speak in a hospital in Bendigo, so get well Roo. He’s a star.”

Matera played 253 games for West Coast between 1990 and 2002 in a stint that included two premierships and the 1992 Norm Smith Medal.

A five-time All Australian, Matera was inducted into the AFL Hall Of Fame in 2006 before becoming the first indigenous member of the league’s tribunal jury in 2019.

Matera is the latest Australian sports legend to suffer a life-threatening cardiac event in recent months.

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