As a rover in the 1980s, he was a natural target for opponents given his size and class.

He ruptured an ACL and in his last year suffered a badly broken cheekbone.

But he survived and thrived, even playing three games with the Sydney Swans in 1985.

However, nothing on the football field could compare with slamming into a parked truck at 30kms while cycling near Albury's Fallon Street on October 9.

"I can't remember the crash, I don't know how it happened, I'm not sure if I was blinded by the sun, I can't remember and it's probably a good thing I can't," Yonson said this week.

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"What I remember is waking up in the hands of (former international cyclist) Rhys Pollock, I'd never met him before, I know he did a lot of bike riding because we used to cross paths a bit.

"I've never been concussed before, even in my old footy days, I've been dazed, but it scared the s**t out of me.

"I had my faculties and I thought that's great news, I could feel my toes and I thought that's also a good sign, but I remember my back was hurting.

"Rhys was very reassuring and told me to stay still until the ambulance arrived.

"I remember getting into the ambulance and then going to (Albury hospital) emergency. I think that's when I started to go into shock, I was really cold."

As so often happens with a life-changing moment, Yonson said it was surreal.

"100 per cent, one minute you're riding your bike and you're enjoying the sunrise and next minute you think, 'what happened there'?," he said.

"I keep thinking about it, I'm just so lucky, people are saying you copped a lot.

'I've copped a few injuries in footy, but I've copped more in this than anything before."

Yonson had broken his back, the T1, T2 and T3 thoracic vertebrae.

The T4 was compressed. He had broken the top left rib and left hand. And he had 18 stitches in his head.

"I've scalped my head. Maybe if I had my head up a bit higher, I might have done a lot more damage, but my body took the impact and I hit it around 30kms from what I can gather," he said.

Ten days later, he also discovered he had torn the rotator cuff in his right shoulder.

"The surgeons said I certainly dodged a bullet," he said.

"A bizarre thing was the guy that did the CT scan I go riding with him a bit (laughs).

"He was very comforting, they (medical staff) were all fantastic."

Quite remarkably, he was out of hospital 24 hours later.

"They gave me the all clear to go home, as long as I had someone to look after me," he said.

"The first three or four weeks I was a bit mentally funny about it, thinking will I jump back on the bike again but time heals all I suppose, I'm feeling a lot better mentally because I'm feeling a lot better physically.

"I've been told I will get back to 100 per cent. I've been able to recover pretty quickly. I'm swimming and have already started on a stationary bike."

Yonson has always been devoted to fitness and is often seen running alone around Albury's Greenfield Park as part of his 10-12 hours a week fitness regime.

"Sport has always been in my blood really, now that I'm getting older (56) it's a good work balance for me as well," he said.

"I love triathlons, it doesn't matter how old you are, you get to have a bit of fun and you get to travel as well.

"I just enjoy being fit, running, cycling, swimming and yoga in (triathlon) season."

He was actually completing a time trial in his triathlon training when he had the crash.

"Whether it (my recovery) was because I was pretty fit, I'm not sure, but it probably helped," he said.

He always did extras while playing and holds a special place in Hoppers' folklore after snapping the match-winning goal against Wodonga in the 1984 grand final.

It was Yonson's best season, claiming both the Morris Medal and best and fairest.

"It was great obviously to win the flag because we lost one (against Lavington in 1986) as well," he said.

"A lot of the guys still get together and as so many people say, there's a bond once you win a premiership, it's good."

Fortunately, Yonson still has the chance to catch up with his footy mates after his near-thing.

"There's no doubt wearing a properly fitted helmet certainly saved me from much more serious injuries," he said.

"It's a wake-up call for everyone to wear the right helmet, it definitely helped me."