The next minute, he was crumpled on the field unable to breathe properly.
The defender, whose rookie campaign was heavily affected by shin problems, came off second best in a marking contest with Carlton's Levi Casboult in the NAB Cup that left him with a punctured lung and two fractured ribs.
Three months later, the 19-year-old is finally ready to make his season debut, selected in the GWS side to tackle West Coast on Saturday.
"I can't remember too much about the pain," Buntine told AFL.com.au of his collision with Casboult.
"I just remember I couldn't even gasp for air. Or every time I'd inhale, I couldn't exhale, and vice versa.
"It was a scary moment and it wasn't the greatest feeling on a football field, that's for sure."
Picked at No.5 in the 2011 draft, Buntine only played one of GWS' opening 17 games last year due to his restricted pre-season, before featuring in the final five games of the season.
The former Dandenong Stingray was then making great strides in his second pre-season before the incident with Casboult brought his progress to a shuddering halt.
"It's just frustrating not playing," said Buntine, who has played the last three matches in the reserves.
"Whether I'm playing twos or ones, it's obviously a development thing.
"I'd love to be playing more games in the ones, that's for sure, but I've just been really frustrated at missing time on the track.
"Hopefully my bad run with injury can finish and I can start finding some continuity out on the ground."
Carlton's Levi Casboult cleans up Matthew Buntine during the 2013 NAB Cup. Picture: AFL Media
A former AIS and Vic Country representative, Buntine is eager to show what he can do at senior level.
And the youngster has some lofty goals.
"I can pinch hit on a tall and can play on a medium-sized resting mid or even a small," he said.
"I aim to be pretty flexible and show some good drive and ball use.
"In terms of other players, Corey Enright's probably one that I'd love to emulate in the coming years.
"He can play on anyone and really plays his role in the team.
"It's aiming high, I know that, but it'd be great to be like that."
James Dampney is a reporter for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_JD
