Former North Melbourne footballer Miller Bergman was taken to the hospital after a choking incident involving a piece of chicken at a VFL awards night. The 23-year-old Casey Demons defender was attending the J. J. Liston Trophy count on Monday night when he became ill and had to leave the function.
Bergman was reportedly unable to swallow fluids, prompting his coach Rhett McLennan and assistant David Main to take him to the emergency department at Berwick Hospital. While he could still breathe, the food was described as being "well and truly lodged in there."
Earlier in the evening, Bergman had been photographed arriving at the Crown Palladium venue for the awards ceremony alongside fellow footballer Riley Bonner. The incident occurred during the event on Monday night.