FORMER Geelong and North Melbourne player Cameron Thurley remained in a critical but stable condition on Monday after a late-night fall at a Hobart bar.
Thurley suffered a serious head injury when he fell down stairs early on Saturday.
The 31-year-old, who now captains Tasmanian State League side Clarence, had been out celebrating after the club's best-and-fairest awards.
He had surgery in the Royal Hobart Hospital to remove fluid from his brain on Sunday and was in an induced coma, with the 72 hours after the fall considered crucial to his recovery.
Thurley's father John has told local media his son's condition has improved.
CCTV footage reportedly shows he had his hands in his pockets when he fell down a flight of stairs leaving Hobart's Observatory Bar alone.
Thurley is widely regarded as the best player in the Tasmanian league after previously playing seven games for Geelong in 2005 and five for the Kangaroos in 2006.
Both AFL clubs expressed their concern via Twitter, while Thurley's family was maintaining a bedside vigil.
"Get well Thurls," the Cats tweeted.
Clarence president Roger Viney issued a statement on behalf of the Hobart-based club.
"The club is united in wishing Cameron a speedy recovery, and offer his family all our support, and our thoughts are with them at this very distressing time," Viney said.
"We wish Cameron a full recovery so that all football followers can once again be privileged to watch this extremely gifted young man ply his talents."
Thurley won the award for the club's leading goalscorer on Friday night.
