Updated July 6, 2026 — 3:57pm,first published 10:33amSuburban football clubs are calling for an investigation into the safety risks posed by covered cricket pitches on local grounds after Nathan Fitzgerald suffered critical on-field injuries at the weekend.The 27-year-old was playing for Epping Football Club’s reserves team against Lalor when he sustained three head knocks in quick succession, which have left him in end-of-life care. Epping footballer Nathan Fitzgerald is in end-of-life care after a critical on-field incident at the weekend.Epping club president Luke De Vincentis said Fitzgerald knocked heads with another player while laying a tackle. His head then struck another player’s leg as he fell, and finally hit the cricket pitch – a strip of concrete covered by artificial turf – in the middle of the oval.Fitzgerald was given immediate assistance from medical officials from both teams at the Sydney Crescent ground before emergency services arrived. He is now at Royal Melbourne Hospital, where his family are preparing to say their goodbyes.“There has always been some risk and concerns involved around the cricket pitches on footy ovals,” De Vincentis told ABC radio. “The cricket pitch was covered, but it is still substantially harder than other parts of the oval.A man inspects the synthetic cricket pitch at Lalor Reserve.Joe Armao“Because we’re just local amateur sports, we have to be able to use these facilities for multiple purposes, but the risk does come that there is quite a hard strip of surface in the middle of a ground where there is a high-velocity, high-contact sport played on.“I do hope this is explored and the way cricket pitches are covered moving forward is something that can be looked at, because it is a significant risk, and I think the weekend has proved what a dire outcome can be from that.”Synthetic cricket pitch at Lalor Reserve.Joe ArmaoIn the hours since the tragedy, local football clubs from across Melbourne sent messages of support and sympathy to Epping and the Fitzgerald family.Many repeated the Epping club’s plea for everyone to hug their loved ones. Some also echoed its call for action on pitch safety.“Absolute tragedy, councils need to act on these uncovered cricket pitches before another tragedy happens,” Glenroy Football Club said in a statement on social media.According to the Northern Football Netball League, which Epping is part of, umpires inspected the ground before the game.In a statement published Monday afternoon, the league said its focus was firmly on supporting Nathan’s family and its clubs, adding that it “won’t be drawn into discussions regarding ground conditions for local football”.The synthetic cricket pitch at Lalor Reserve.Joe Armao“We are doing all we can to ensure they don’t carry this burden alone with the support of the AFL and AFL Victoria,” it said.“Our thoughts are also with the Lalor Football Club, its players, officials and supporters who were so close to this terrible accident and the Mernda Central College community, where Nathan is a valued and respected teacher.”The league encouraged clubs to observe a minute of reflection before this weekend’s matches.Whittlesea Council, which manages Lalor Recreation Reserve, confirmed the wicket had a concrete base.The Lalor ground where Fitzgerald was injured.“During the football season, the wicket is covered with a multilayered synthetic surface … designed to provide a safe playing surface while protecting the wicket,” a spokesperson said, adding that it was done in accordance with AFL and Cricket Australia standards.The spokesperson said the council was not aware of any previous incidents at the reserve, and that it would review this incident “in due course” after everyone affected had adequate time to grieve. They said that until then, any speculation on the circumstances of the incident would be inappropriate.Mayor Lawrie Cox paid tribute to Fitzgerald as “a valued member of our local community whose impact extends far beyond football”. He also paid tribute to both football clubs and “everyone who provided assistance at the scene under such difficult circumstances”.Whittlesea council did not respond to this masthead’s specific questions regarding the safety of the ground.De Vincentis said the club gathered at its Epping base on Sunday.“There’s shock and confusion and it just doesn’t feel real, no one can really comprehend this,” he said. “Head knocks in football are prominent, but the outcome that stems from this particular head knock, I don’t think anyone has ever dealt with before, so, yeah, it’s difficult.“The last 24 hours, particularly, have been really beautiful in bringing the club together. But we’ve lost a teammate and a much-loved person from the club, and more importantly, the Fitzgerald family have lost a son and a brother.”“They would have wished him all the best on Saturday morning to kick a goal and get a win, not realising that was the last time they were going to speak to him.”De Vincentis also praised the bystanders and medical teams as “absolutely outstanding” in how they responded to the incident.“You train to be able to be proficient to do first aid and CPR, but you never think you have to perform that in a local football game.“We were told by emergency services that had they not acted as quickly as they did, [paramedics] would have probably been dealing with the circumstances yesterday, possibly on the field.“They at least gave him an extra 24 hours for family and friends to say goodbye.”The Department of Education said its thoughts were with Fitzgerald’s family, friends and colleagues. It said it was providing support to the community of Mernda Central College, where he joined as a maths and science teacher in 2023.Be the first to know when major news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts on email or turn on notifications in the app.Bridget McArthur is a sports affairs reporter at The Age, covering the intersection of sports and politics/business/economy/society.Connect via X or email.From our partners