Watch: Play continues after devastating knockout

A massive Steven May bump saw Stefan Martin taken from the ground on a medi-cab in the Brisbane Lions' clash with the Gold Coast Suns in the AFL.

With less than two minutes remaining in the second term, May smashed the Brisbane ruckman with the heavy hit as Martin chased a loose ball several metres in front of him.

Play continued as Brisbane marked inside their forward 50, but Martin lay motionless on the ground before a scuffle broke out as his teammates rushed to May to let him know they weren't happy with the hit.

The big problem with the Suns full-back's bump was the fact he'd run past the ball and left his feet to make contact with the unsuspecting 29-year-old. His shoulder appeared to hit Martin's head, knocking him out cold.

"Any time you go past the football you lose any right to bump," said commentator and former Lion Jonathan Brown.

"That definitely wasn't a legal bump in terms of the contact.

"Steven May just felt the pressure and took his eye off the football, whereas Stefan Martin had his eye on the ball, so reasonably wasn't expecting contact."

May was immediately reported by the on-field umpires.

"It's a bad decision. A bad execution of the bump," said commentator Jason Dunstall.

"They were both steaming at it, they both wanted contact - no problems there. But one jump went past the ball and made high contact, you can't do that."

Play stopped for an extended period of time while Martin was attended to. At least six trainers and medical staff were by his side as a spinal board was brought on and he was put on a medi-cab and taken from the Gabba while wearing a neck brace.

The crowd gave him a huge round of applause as he left the field. The Suns were leading 47-38 at the time.

Five minutes into the third quarter the Brisbane Lions tweeted Martin was awake in the dressing room and would not be taken to hospital. Vision later emerged of him watching on from the bench.

-AAP