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Woman suing the AFL after being hit by a football outside stadium three years ago

A mum of three is suing the AFL after she was hit in the head with a football outside Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium three years ago.

Jodie Burns said her life has fallen apart ever since she was hit and now can no longer work due to chronic neck and back pain.

“It’s ruined me,” she said.

“I’ve had a breakdown. I have PTSD from that.”

Jodie Burns said the hit from the football has left her with chronic back and neck pain. Source: 7 News
Jodie Burns said the hit from the football has left her with chronic back and neck pain. Source: 7 News

Ms Burns was hit in the head by a ball while lining up for tickets outside Etihad Stadium. It was in an area where kicking was banned and she suffered a bulging disc along with nerve and spinal injuries.

Ms Burns’s intellectually disabled son now has to look after her.

Her son, Brock MacQueen, said his mum wasn’t coping.

Ms Burns after she was hit. Source: 7 News
Ms Burns after she was hit. Source: 7 News

She’s now suing the AFL and Etihad Stadium claiming they were negligent, but insists it’s not about the money.

“I just want more information, I want more signage,” she said.

“I want more heavy fines if people do this because I don’t want it to happen to anyone else.”

Ms Burns said she couldn’t bring herself to watch AFL anymore and going near the stadium at Docklands left her scared and anxious.

“A few weeks ago, my husband drove past Etihad Stadium and I had a complete meltdown as he was driving past it because I can’t deal with the fact that so much damage has been done from something that should have never happened,” she said.

The AFL has been contacted for comment.

The mum had been waiting outside to purchase tickets before she was hit. Source: 7 News
The mum had been waiting outside to purchase tickets before she was hit. Source: 7 News