“I jumped in the car and drove to the main hut, and I went in there, and it was like a delayed response,” he said.

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“I was talking to some of the first aiders in there and I said ‘Listen, I’m not feeling too great, I’m a bit light-headed, and I’ve got shivers up my left arm’.”

Before heading to the hospital, Hawkins called ex-Bulldogs club doctor and friend Dr Jake Landsberger.

“I went to Jake and he said ‘Listen, Hawky, get straight to the emergency and get an ECG and get that heart checked’,” he said.

The 350-game player said he is feeling better and is back at work after the ordeal.

“I got the ECG come through really good, and thank God I had someone behind me looking after me,” Hawkins said.

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