A former Brisbane Lions premiership winner is fighting for his life after being crushed in a excavator rollover, the club says. 

Aaron Shattock, a 44-year-old builder, was crushed on Sunday afternoon when an excavator on a Gold Coast property rolled, trapping him underneath. 

Paramedics took Shattock to the Gold Coast University Hospital in a critical condition. 

The father of three underwent emergency surgery for severe chest injuries, the club said in a statement released on Sunday night. 

Shattock played 57 AFL games for the Brisbane Lions after debuting in 2000, and was part of the 2002 premiership-winning team. 

Former captain Michael Voss described his old teammate as a "ripping good fella".

"I can't believe it … it's terrible at any time but just before Christmas is even worse. Our prayers are with him and his family," Voss said. 

The former player's family has asked for privacy, the club said.