'I'm going to stay with you': Woman comes to Modra's aid moments after truck crash

The woman who was first on the scene to help Adelaide Crows legend Tony Modra after he was critically injured in a truck crash has described holding his hand as they waited for emergency services.

Linda Cameron provided first aid to Modra after the truck he was driving hit a tree at Back Valley , on South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula, on Thursday evening.

She told ABC News she was coming back from shopping and walking her dog when a truck passed her on the windy Range Road.

Tony Modra played 165 games in the AFL. ( Getty Images/Michael Wilson )

The 78-year-old local resident then saw the vehicle crashed on the side of the road and jumped out of her own car to help.

She found Modra injured, although she did not recognise him as the 57-year-old retired AFL player.

"I was talking to him and he wasn't responding and he just obviously wanted to lie down, so I said, 'OK, lie down now and keep your hand there …'" she said.

"I remembered I had a box of tissues in the car and they were nearly full and so I grabbed them and ran back again and took a big wad out and placed them on the wound…

"I said, 'Hold on to that, push on to that and keep it there' and I could see that it was helping to stem the loss of blood."

Tony Modra was driving a truck when it crashed. ( Supplied: SA Police )

In the cold weather, she grabbed blankets from her car for the injured former sportsman, and then held his hand until the ambulance arrived and rushed him to hospital.

"Occasionally, I felt he was losing his grip and I was frightened, so I asked him what his name was and he said 'Tony' and I said 'my name's Linda and I'm going to stay with you'," Ms Cameron said.

"I'm just so glad I was there to help him," she added.

Linda Cameron with her dog Gracie. ( ABC South East SA: Caroline Horn )

Footballer in hospital

Earlier today, his wife thanked first responders "who saved his life" and said Modra was being treated in the intensive care unit at Flinders Medical Centre.

SA Health said Modra remained in hospital in a "critical but stable" condition.

The AFL icon was Crows' leading goal kicker for five straight seasons and played a total of 165 AFL games for the club and Fremantle Dockers.

After retiring from the league in 2001, he went onto play SA country footy at nearby Encounter Bay, as well as at Keith, in the South East.

Darren Greatrex has known Modra for three decades and has become closer with him over the past 10 years since his friend joined him in the Variety Bash car rally.

SA Variety Bash chair and friend of Tony Modra, Darren Greatrex. ( ABC News: Ashlin Blieschke )

Mr Greatrex said it was "really upsetting" and "really distressing" to hear of Modra's situation.

He said the former full-forward was just as at home on the football field as handing out pies and sausage rolls as part of a sponsored role with the Bash.

"He's a country boy at heart," Mr Greatrex said.

"He absolutely loves it — he just loves being in the outback and has an absolute ball with everyone.

"Obviously, we're really, really concerned about him and his wellbeing, but just fingers-crossed and we're all praying there's going to be a good outcome for him."

Well-wishes to Modra and his family have flowed from across the country, including by SA Premier Peter Malinauskas, Crows coach Matthew Nicks and Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir.