Brett Ratten’s emotional tribute for Cooper

AFL great Brett Ratten has paid an emotional tribute to his teenage son who was killed in a auto crash, east of Melbourne yesterday.

Cooper, who was sitting in the back seat, was likely not wearing a seatbelt and was thrown more than 40m from the crash site on Glenview Road in Yarra Glen, police said.

‘Cooper… received life-threatening injuries and died enroute to the hospital, ‘ the Hawks said in a statement.

Police said it was an “absolute miracle” that two 17-year-olds, the driver and passenger in the auto, survived the high-speed rollover.

Grieving friends of Cooper Ratten, 16, gathered at the Yarra Glen football oval on Sunday, where he had been playing in a game with his mates only one day earlier, and shared memories of the beloved player.

Police are investigating the possibility of alcohol and drug factors.

Police will speak to the pair and lay charges if necessary, Det Sgt Yeoman said.

None of the teenagers are old enough to hold a licence, and investigators say the driver may have held a learner’s permit. “It was a peasouper here last night and to be doing what is clearly well in excess of 100km/h in conditions such as this can only lead to tragedy”.

Tributes have started to pour in for Cooper, with the Hawthorn Football Club sending condolences to his family.

According to the Herald Sun, Cooper and two of his Yarra Glen Football Club teammates allegedly took a set of vehicle keys that may have belonged to a parent.

“Our thoughts are with you at this tragic time”. “It’s just a massive loss to the club”, he said.

The 255-game star – who played in Carlton’s 1995 premiership – and ex-Blues’ coach revealed the extent of his heartache.