Australian comedian Dave Hughes shares fresh health update after brutal injuries in Legends Game

Australian TV comedian Dave Hughes says he is still in great pain after suffering brutal injuries in the Legends Game a fortnight ago.

The exhibition match — which was a TV ratings smash and raised more than $1 million for the Australian Prostate Centre — ended up with Hughes in hospital with five broken ribs and a punctured lung.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Dave Hughes shares health update after leaving hospital.

The 54-year-old, incredibly, played through the game and even went to an after-party before he was taken to Cabrini Hospital.

Appearing on Sunrise on Thursday morning, Hughes has provided an amusing health update.

“I’m not feeling as good as you are,” Hughes said to Sunrise star Matt Shirvington, who also had a surprising cameo in the game.

“I’ve never had broken ribs before, and they are something that does hang around.

“It’s been two weeks almost now, so yeah, ... I like to laugh, normally, but I don’t like to laugh now.”

Hughes has already pointed out the precise the moment his ribs were broken (by West Coast champion Andrew Embley) but after that moment he went in the ruck, and squared off with former AFL big man Dan Gorringe.

Gorringe stands at 200cm (or 6ft 7in), while Hughes says he is 177.8cm (or 5ft 10in).

He was again shown the moment when Gorringe ran through him in the centre of the ground, and exclaimed: “That hurt a lot ...

“I’m getting PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) because my ribs are already broken then.

“When he smashed me then, that was the worst pain of my life.”

Hughes said he did not want to be in the ruck contest, and he was just trying to “tap the ball”.

“I thought it was going to be like a basketball thing,” he said.

“I didn’t want to go in the ruck. I’m five foot 10 for God’s sake.”

Hughes was then shown the moment Embley, who won the Norm Smith Medal in the 2006 grand final, crashed into his side.

Hughes had his head over the ball when Embley bowled him over with bump into the side of his ribs.

“This is the moment, actually, and Embers, a great West Coast Eagles champion, his hip right there is when all my ribs caved in,” Hughes said.

“And I don’t blame him. He’s a great guy, but that actually did the job. And, yeah, I couldn’t breathe, really, after that moment.

“But that was in the second quarter, and I kept going because I wanted to be like Shirvo mind, and I wanted to kick a goal.”

Shirvo did manage to score an unlikely goal in the game, and so did Hughes.

“You did. You did kick a goal with busted ribs,” Shirvo said.

Sunrise host Mon Wright said it was disappointing to see Hughes in such a state, because he was normally in very good health.

“Hughesy, you are a fit guy, and I know that because a couple of weeks before this, when we were leaving the Logies, you happened to be on the escalator with me and I dropped my purse and two lipsticks fell out, and you scaled the escalator, jumped,” she recalled.

“He flew through the air, and gallantly, with so much chivalry, saved my lipsticks and then jumped back over and gave them back to me. I don’t know whether you remember that?”

“I do remember that, Mon ... I don’t drink either ... so I remember that. I’m calling that the good old days when I was able to do things like that,” he said.

“(But there will be none of that) for at least another 6-8 weeks, but yeah, thank you for remembering that I am a chivalrous guy ... and I can almost say the word.”

Gorringe, a popular podcaster now, has already apologised for the encounter, and so has Embley.

“If I contributed to the multiple broken ribs and a punctured lung in our little head-to-head at the centre bounce last night where I hip and shouldered you, then threw the ball at you ... and then gave you the finger, then my hand’s up, I apologise, and I hope you’re having a speedy recovery. That’s on me,” Gorringe said.

Embley said the day after the game: “I just want to say that I am so sorry for my little thump on you ... that has obviously caused so much damage.

“How brave were you, big fella, to continue with the game .... Rest up and, again mate, I’m so sorry that I’ve caused you to be having this very tough morning this morning.”