AFL: Peter Matera is released from hospital after suffering a heart attack

Peter Matera insisted he is ‘all good’ after being released from hospital following his major heart attack last weekend. 

Matera, the West Coast Eagles’ first ever Norm Smith Medallist, a two-time premiership player and five-time All Australian, left St John of God Hospital in regional Victoria on Thursday.

The 53-year-old was flanked by partner Susannah Barlow and children Jordan and Molly before hopping into his car for the hour-long trip back to his Echuca farm, the scene of his heart attack.

Peter Matera has been released from hospital after suffering a major heart attack this week 

West Coast Eagle great Peter Matera with partner Susannah Barlow, who doctors believe saved his life after a massive heart attack

‘I’m fine mate, it’s all good,’ Matera said when asked for a message to Eagles supporters back in Perth by The West Australian.

Matera underwent surgery on Monday and had two stents inserted into his heart. He will need another stent put into his heart in the coming weeks.

He was out chopping wood on his farm near the New South Wales/Victoria border when he suddenly collapsed. Doctors say that the fast reaction of his partner likely saved his life.

‘He was chopping wood and got a few pains in his chest and luckily he wasn’t out on the tractor as he normally is,’ Matera’s brother, Phil, said.

‘He was very lucky he wasn’t out on the tractor, they were together, which was a great thing because obviously the doctor was saying he had someone with him and they could get him straight into the hospital.’

The 53-year-old told fans: ‘I’m fine, it’s all good’ as he returned to his farm on Thursday 

The stents inserted via emergency surgery are essentially two small wire mesh tubes that are used to hold arteries open in order to reduce the likelihood of another massive heart attack.

In a twist of fate, after being separated for over two years due to COVID border restrictions, Phil and his brother were due to reunite this weekend ahead for golf and footy, before flying to Perth the following weekend for the 20th reunion of the Eagles’ 1992 premiership side.

‘It was really unfortunate, we were lining up to play golf on Friday, he was flying into Adelaide and so was I to play a few rounds of golf with some mates over in Adelaide and we were going to the Adelaide-Eagles game as a group of mates,’ Phil added in an interview earlier this week.

‘I hadn’t seen him for a couple of years because of Covid restrictions and he was telling me last week how excited he was to get back to the ’92 reunion. Hoping he is well enough to get back to that, but let’s just make sure he gets out of hospital first.’