Breaking: Two Carlton AFL players hospitalised in Melbourne

Two Carlton AFL football players have been hospitalised in Melbourne on Sunday, the club says. The club confirmed Lachie Cowan and Will Hayward were admitted to hospital under separate circumstances."Cowan received medical treatment and underwent observation, before being discharged a short time later," it said. Will Hayward experienced a minor cut to the head after a fall, and admitted himself to hospital, where he received stitches before being discharged.Ambulance Victoria said advanced life-support paramedics responded to reports of an incident in South Yarra about 5:15am today. "A man in his 20s was transported by road ambulance to The Alfred Hospital with upper body injuries in a stable condition," it said. It is unclear which player Ambulance Victoria was referring to. Cowan, a Tasmanian drafted to the Blues in 2022, has played 38 games for the club as a young defender. Howard, who re-signed with Sydney in 2024, crossed over to the forward line at Carlton in 2025. The club said it has been in regular contact with both players, with the priority on their wellbeing.