'AFL will be filthy': Painkilling injection caught on live TV

Fox Sports vision of a Brisbane player receiving a painkilling injection could spark anger inside AFL headquarters.

Cameras caught club doctors helping 24-year-old forward Oscar McInerney in a tunnel during the third quarter of the Lions' thrilling one-point defeat to Fremantle at Optus Stadium in Perth.

While painkillers are legal under AFL rules, they are usually administered in private in the dressing rooms.

Channel 7 reporter Mark Stevens, a long-time football journalist, said he had never seen a jab broadcast before.

He suggested Brisbane would be unhappy with cameras following McInerney off the field.

"We will hear more about that vision of painkilling injection," he wrote.

"Looked (to be) outside rooms, do Lions have an obligation to do (it) inside?

"But shown by Fox Footy ... who’s at fault? Will be ramifications/investigation. Not sure Lions would be thrilled."

He added: "Yes, players get injected. Part of footy. But the AFL doesn’t want it broadcast. Full stop. Image cops will be filthy, regardless of who is at fault."

Sounding surprised to see vision of the jab, retired St Kilda great Nick Dal Santo said McInerney would move on quickly.

"Oh! That's a flu shot, he's got it during the game," he joked on the Fox Sports broadcast.

"It's probably just an AC joint, so that's just a local (anesthetic) injection into that left shoulder.

"Not a huge deal for the footballer. They get stung, there's no pain.

"He'll be numb for the next 45 minutes, he'll be perfectly fine to play out the rest of the game.”