A remarkable gesture: Collingwood offers its 2023 premiership cup to be part of the memorial for Ben Austin
In a moving and unexpected act of solidarity, AFL club Collingwood has offered its 2023 premiership cup to be included in the memorial dedicated to Ben Austin, the teenage cricketer who tragically died after a nets accident in Melbourne’s east. The gesture has been widely praised across Australia’s sporting community as a heartfelt tribute to a young athlete whose life was cut far too short.
Ben Austin, a 17-year-old player for the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club, was struck in the neck area by a cricket ball during a warm-up session. Although he was wearing a helmet, he had no neck guard. Despite immediate medical assistance, he later passed away in hospital, leaving family, friends, and the broader cricket community in deep mourning.
The idea to involve Collingwood’s premiership cup emerged from online fan discussions, particularly on Reddit, where supporters highlighted that Ben was a passionate Collingwood fan. According to these posts, the club intends to make the cup available for the memorial ceremony at Junction Oval, where a service in Ben’s honour is expected to take place.
While the club has not yet issued an official statement, the widespread reaction online underscores the power of sport to bring people together in moments of grief. Fans from across the AFL community have described the offer as “an incredibly selfless act,” emphasizing that such gestures cannot erase the pain of loss, but they can reinforce the sense of unity that transcends sporting boundaries.
For the Austin family and the cricket community, Collingwood’s willingness to contribute to the memorial is deeply meaningful. Whether or not the premiership cup ultimately becomes part of the final tribute, the message is clear: Ben Austin’s memory resonates far beyond the cricket pitch, touching hearts across the wider sporting world.
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