Adelaide great Tony Modra has regained consciousness after facial surgery following a life-threatening truck crash on Thursday evening, with doctors reporting his condition as serious but stable. His wife Erica joked about the changes to his looks as former te
When Tony Modra opened his eyes again on Saturday afternoon, the relief hit straight through Adelaide’s football world—starting with his family, then rippling out to the Crows and the wider community.
Modra. an Adelaide and Fremantle great. remains in hospital in a serious but stable condition after waking following surgery on Friday to address facial injuries. His former Crows teammate and good friend Mark Ricciuto confirmed the moment just before three-quarter time in Adelaide’s match against Melbourne on Saturday.
“He’s awake with his wife Erica and his kids,” Ricciuto said just before three-quarter time.
The courage around the story has not been quiet. Before that moment of regained consciousness, Modra had been taken to intensive care at Flinders Medical Centre after the crash at Back Valley on the Fleurieu Peninsula on Thursday evening.
He suffered facial injuries when a fallen tree branch smashed through the windshield of the truck he was driving. The crash was understood to have involved a tree or branch crashing onto Modra’s cattle truck as he drove home in high winds.
It happened near his farm near Waitpinga, about 10km west of Victor Harbor in South Australia.
After the accident, Modra’s wife Erica was among the first voices to thank those who helped save his life. Saturday brought a different kind of message—one laced with humour, as Erica joked about what might be left behind after surgery.
Once Modra emerged from the surgery to his jaw, cheek and eye socket, Ricciuto said Erica told him that the collision would change the famously good looks.
Erica said to Ricciuto, “He’s not going to be the same good-looking Tony Modra, he’s going to have some scars.”
Ricciuto replied, “Well, he can be like us for once instead of being good looking as he always has been.”
Behind the jokes was the reality of what had happened. Modra’s surgery on Friday involved complex procedures to repair the effects of the crash on his jaw, eye socket and cheek. The 57-year-old is a father of two, and his injuries quickly drew widespread attention given his place in AFL history.
Adelaide and Fremantle coach and community alike have been watching closely as the day unfolded. The Crows also built tribute into their own game—fans applauded at the six-minute mark of Adelaide’s win over Melbourne at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks shared the mood after the match, where his side won by 17 points.
“We’re hearing positive thoughts, there’s a lot of positive news coming back,” Nicks said. “But we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves.”
Nicks described Modra’s importance to the club—far beyond his achievements on the field.
“It’s a tough time because he’s such a huge presence around our footy club … the energy that he brings,” Nicks said. “He’s one of the best footballers to play the game. but he’s just incredible energy – he’s got this aura about him. always smiling … So we look forward to him recovering and getting him back.”.
For years, Modra has been remembered for spectacular moments. Across 165 games for the Crows and Dockers between 1992 and 2001, he kicked 588 goals.
His injuries, however, have pulled the story into a different kind of fight—one happening off the ball and inside a hospital.
Nicks said the shock has weighed on the group since the accident.
“It’s something that we don’t hide from, that there are tough things going on in life and footy is not number one,” Nicks said.
Then, he explained the balance the Crows have tried to strike.
“However when we get to the oval on a game day, there’s a need as a professional athlete to actually put footy number one for 120 minutes or a little bit longer than that, because you’ve got to prepare yourself.”
Nicks added that the club has been having open conversations, not just preparing physically.
“So we had that conversation. We talked openly through a number of things that are going on in life, away from what we’re doing on a footy oval.”
And after the final siren, the focus shifts back.
“But the moment we walk off, then our mind goes back to family and to things like Mods, and where Mods is at the moment and how we can try and support [him].”
For a life-changing moment on Thursday evening—when a branch struck the windshield and sent Modra into intensive care—the turning point now is waking from surgery. On Saturday afternoon, that step forward came, and with it, growing optimism that he will recover.
In a week where the Crows played on, the applause at the six-minute mark was more than ritual. It was a reminder of how close the club feels to its legends—and how hard it is to watch one of them fight for his life.
Tony Modra Adelaide Crows truck crash Flinders Medical Centre facial surgery Mark Ricciuto Erica Modra AFL news