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A Warrnambool District league footballer headbutted after the half-time siren in a case of mistaken identity still has a titanium plate in his cheek nearly 12 months on. The South Rovers reserves player, who wished to remain anonymous, was allegedly headbutted by an East Warrnambool opponent during a contest at Reid Oval on May 18 last year. The victim said the incident occurred at half-time in the reserves game. “We were forming into our huddle and I was talking with someone when I turned around and was head-butted by an opposition player who had approached us,” he told The Standard. “I had a lot of swelling and didn’t play the rest of the game. The Monday after I got some scans at the (Warrnambool Base Hospital) that showed multiple fractures in my cheek.” The victim underwent surgery in Geelong a fortnight later and had a titanium plate inserted into his left cheek. He said he took a few days off work and missed 12 weeks of football. He said for three to four months he had to avoid knocks to the face which meant being careful when playing with his kids. The victim said the titanium plate would likely stay inside his face forever. He said he was initially shocked at being “on the receiving end of the unprovoked incident”. “I got a lot of support from teammates and the South Rovers Football Netball Club. I’m lucky that I have a lot of stability in my life and apart from the initial shock… I moved on fairly quickly,” the victim said. “My main concern is the reputational damage these types of incidents do to the sport, and the possibility that it wasn’t me but a younger teammate that was hit. I suspect a younger person would have a harder time recovering mentally from something like this.” East Warrnambool reserves player Shane Harrison, 39, of Kirrae Avenue, Framlingham, appeared in Warrnambool Magistrates Court this week charged with recklessly casing serious injury. The court heard the victim suffered multiple fractures to his left cheek bone and eye socket. Mr Harrison allegedly told police that the player had “tried to take out” his 14-year-old son. But Mr Harrison said he accidentally attacked the wrong player. Police allege he showed “genuine remorse” when informed of the mistaken identity. Mr Harrison was expected to front an AFL Western District tribunal last year but he never showed and has not played a game of football since. He was charged with recklessly causing serious injury last year and placed on bail, which he breached last weekend when he was allegedly caught driving unlicensed, driving while disqualified, driving an unregistered vehicle and with false number plates. The court heard the plates were stolen alongside a car stereo head unit from a 2005 Subaru that was left on the side of Wangoom’s O’Sullivans Road following a collision on April 17. Mr Harrison allegedly tested positive to a preliminary oral fluid test. That test will now be sent off for analysis. During a bail application on Thursday, the court heard Mr Harrison was an essential worker at the Framlingham Aboriginal Trust. Magistrate Michael Coghlan granted Mr Harrison bail, “with some hesitation”. He applied strict bail conditions, including Mr Harrison live in a caravan at Kirrae Avenue, not drive a motor vehicle and abide by a 9pm to 6am curfew. Mr Harrison will appear in court again on June 11. Have you signed up to The Standard’s daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that’s happening in the south-west.

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Form Kennesaw State basketball player, Romain Henry. Photo credit: Photo Courtesy of Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office