FORMER AFL player Rhys Palmer is in an induced coma at Royal Perth Hospital after a serious motorcycle accident on Saturday night.
Palmer, the 2008 NAB AFL Rising Star, underwent emergency surgery, including having his spleen removed, and is fighting for his life.
The 30-year-old, who played 123 AFL games for Fremantle, Greater Western Sydney and Carlton, was riding with a female passenger when their vehicle collided with a car at a Perth intersection.
The female passenger hurt her hand in the incident and also went to hospital.
WAFL club Swan Districts, where Palmer is due to play this season, released a statement on his condition on Sunday.
"The health and wellbeing of Rhys and his passenger is of utmost importance to the club. There is no consideration of anything else at this point in time," chief executive Jeff Dennis said.
"The thoughts of everyone at the club are with both of them and their families at this very difficult time."
Then-Docker Palmer runs with the ball against Adelaide in 2009. Picture: AFL Photos
The statement indicated that Palmer was not to blame for the accident, which was unrelated to an incident on Friday night, when the midfielder was ejected from a race track.
Security removed Palmer after at least one shoe was thrown onto the track at Gloucester Park during a race and narrowly missed the competing horses.
Palmer referred to that incident in a Facebook post on Saturday afternoon, saying he wanted to "provide some clarity".
"Firstly, let me be clear, no shoe was deliberately thrown at a horse during any race, and I have the utmost respect for the racing community and all those involved," the post read.
"It was simply unfortunate timing. I was having a light-hearted wrestle with a young teammate, oblivious to what was happening around us.
"What transpired was a shoe being thrown, which, unbeknown to us, was unfortunately at the same time the horses had made their way around the course."
Palmer apologised for his actions and said he would make a donation to the Off the Track program.
