Former Fremantle star Rhys Palmer is fighting for his life with injuries suffered in a traffic accident that happened a day after being embroiled in a shoe-throwing controversy at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

Palmer was driving the motorbike with a female passenger when they crashed, according to a statement from Swan Districts Football Club.

Swan Districts said Palmer was not to blame for the crash.

The club’s football operations manager Phil Smart said he had visited Palmer in hospital this morning. He said the 30-year-old was in an induced coma after having his spleen removed and had lost a lot of blood. But surgeons had managed to stop the bleeding.

“It’s more positive than it was last night, but he still has a fair way to go,” Mr Smart said. “They (doctors) said he had been responsive to different things.”

It is understood Palmer was returning home after a visit to a local beach. It is also believed no alcohol was involved.

Police are investigating the crash and said about 7pm on Saturday a 2005 black Mitsubishi Lancer turning from Canning Highway onto Murray Road and collided with a 2007 black/blue Yamaha motorbike travelling on Canning Highway.

Palmer was seriously injured and taken to Royal Perth Hospital under priority conditions, where he underwent surgery.

His 25-year-old passenger’s hand was injured in the crash and was also taken to RPH.

The 45-year-old driver of the Lancer received minor injuries.

Traffic Crash investigators want to speak to witnesses of the crash or anyone who saw either vehicle prior to the incident.

It’s another blow to the Swan Districts’ star midfielder, who’s copped flack this weekend for allegedly throwing a shoe onto the trotting track at Gloucester Park on Friday night.

In a statement, Swan Districts said the crash was not related to any of the events of the past 48 hours.

“The health and wellbeing of Rhys and his passenger is of utmost importance to the club. There is no consideration of anything else of at this point in time”, said club Chief Executive Jeff Dennis.

“The thoughts of everyone at the club are with both of them and their families at this very difficult time.”

Fremantle midfielder Bradley Hill wished the former Docker well with his recovery.

“That’s something you don’t want to hear and hopefully he is going well,” Hill, who didn’t play alongside Palmer, said.

“I’m sure people who are close to him, blokes who have played footy with him at Fremantle will get around him and go and see him when they can.”

Gloucester Park officials are planning to further their investigation with police today of an incident involving Palmer where two shoes were thrown into the field of the night’s main race as they passed the winning post with a lap to run.

Remarkably, the shoe thrown into the field went straight under the feet of a pacer by the name of Walsh, which is part-owned by Swan Districts coach Adam Pickering.

Palmer took to social media yesterday to apologise for the incident, but was adamant it had not been deliberate, during a “light-hearted wrestle” with a teammate. He believed security footage would support his claims and offered to make a donation to the Off The Track foundation.