Eagles players back push for AFL mental health round
Just a day after learning of the 41-year-old former premiership player's death, the Eagles produced one of the club's great wins in Selwood's honour, snapping a 281-day winless run to return to the winners' circle against Euro-Yroke (St Kilda).
Selwood's death, just three months after the death of his twin brother Troy, rocked the AFL landscape, reigniting calls for the league to initiate a round to help raise awareness around mental health in general and in professional sports.
Speaking just moments after singing the song for the first time in two years, an emotional Elijah Hewett said he'd like to see the AFL institute a round for mental health awareness.
'Yeah, it'd be great (to have a mental health round),' he told The West Australian.
'The awareness is coming through, and in the football world, it's just about reaching out and getting help when you need to.
'We're no exception from society, we struggle as well, and it's important to ask for some help.'
Hewett's teammate, and star of the victorious performance, Brady Hough, echoed the sentiment.
'Yeah, absolutely. I think it would be a great idea and I'd be fully supportive of it,' he said.
Hewett also revealed the Eagles had gone to great lengths to ensure they honoured Selwood and his family ahead of the clash, using the emotion to stir the young group to their first win of 2025 and for coach Andrew McQualter.
'Football places are an incredible sanctuary for the boys and for everyone in that case, and we are in mourning as a club for the Selwoods,' he said.
'It's just incredibly tough, especially for someone so close to the club. There are so many boys on the list that know him quite personally, so we'll wrap our hands around them and the Selwood family. Elijah Hewett wants to see an AFL mental health round. Credit: Daniel Carson / AFL Photos
'There was a lot of talk about that coming in today, and we used that emotion as fuel and energy, and we are just so grateful to get the win for the Selwood family, Adam and also our Indigenous boys for the Indigenous round.'
Eagles fans were palpably emotional during a moments silence held for Selwood ahead of the first bounce with 42,860 filling Optus Stadium.
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