Cameron Thurley Biography

Hobart newspaper The Mercury reports former Geelong and North Melbourne player Cameron Thurley has now emerged after 23 days in an induced coma, and is expected to make a slow but full recovery.

"He's got damage to his frontal lobe area but he'll get through that," Thurley's father John said.

"They are issues he can work through and they'll all be repaired.

"He's very weak, obviously, after 23 days, but he'll get stronger each day now and he'll face the issues as they arise."

Former Geelong and North Melbourne player Cameron Thurley is in a critical condition with head injuries after falling down stairs at a Hobart bar in the early hours of Saturday.

Thurley, who now captains Tasmanian State League side Clarence, had surgery to remove fluid from his brain on Sunday, local media reported.

The 31-year-old was celebrating after the club's best-and-fairest awards on Friday.