Sunday’s game against West Coast was memorable in every way for all North Melbourne people. Club captain Brent Harvey celebrated his 300th game in ‘memorable’ fashion and the club secured a ‘memorable’ win for its champion. Sam Wright made the game ‘memorable’ on a personal level with a Rising Star nomination, Ben Warren kicked a ‘memorable’ goal after colliding with a the point post and Scott Thompson kicked a ‘memorable’ sixty-metre goal - the first of his career.
But one North Melbourne man has no recollection of the game, despite being an integral part of it.
Leigh Adams has been in scintillating form of late. Before the round 21 match against the Eagles, he was averaging 24 possessions and was also damaging in front of goal. At the start of the match at Subiaco, ‘Patch’ as he is affectionately known, showed he was about to put in yet another stellar performance. But just before the quarter time siren, Beau Waters changed everything.
With Adams chasing an opponent down the wing, Waters came across and laid a bone-crunching shepherd on him which made those in the crowd gasp. Waters was quick to his feet, but Adams lay motionless on the ground as the North medical staff rushed to his aid. There’s no doubt Adams saw Waters coming, but at no stage did he consider shirking the contest.
“I saw a little bit of the incident on the news, but that’s it. I’m not sure I’ll go looking for the video to watch it back,” Adams told kangaroos.com.au.
“I’m told it was a fair hit and that nothing came of it at the tribunal so I’m not that fussed.”
And there was a second hit late in the game that wiped his memory completely and it came via some friendly fire from Aaron Edwards.
The only part of the game the 22 year-old remembers are the bits he saw briefly on television from his bed at the Perth Hospital.
“I have no recollection at all. The only part of the day I can remember is a little bit of the warm-up.”
Adams was unaware that he went back on the ground in the second half and that he even had a shot on goal.
“It’s all blank. It’s good to know that I came back on…I just hope I had an impact.”
Nursing a sore head and nose, Adams is currently at home in the Yarra Valley with his Mum recuperating but hopes to return to the club on Thursday. The events of the past few days have taken him back to his junior football days when used to run around in protective head-gear.
“I haven’t been knocked out for at least ten or twelve years I reckon. I had a helmet in under 12’s because I had a habit of getting laid out,” Adams said.
Adams’ phone has been beeping and ringing constantly with messages from players, friends and staff and while he says the support has been fantastic, it’s also left a bitter taste in his mouth.
“I’m pretty disappointed that I missed out on Boomer’s (Brent Harvey’s) celebrations, but as long as we got the win and I contributed in some way, I’m happy.
“I’m hoping that the memory might come back to me soon, minus all the bad parts.”