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Mercury
2 days ago
- Sport
- Mercury
‘Was it worth it?': AFL legend's heartbreaking health reveal, Dermott Brereton
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Dermott Brereton has revealed the shocking toll his footy career has had on his body. Arguably one of the hardest men to ever play the game, the five-time premiership star says he is left in crippling pain almost daily. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. The 60-year-old, who played 211 games in the AFL, detailed what he endures after putting his body on the line during the league's toughest period. 'Some mornings my beautiful partner Julie has to put on my shoes and socks for me,' Brereton said while speaking at the Norm Smith Oration at the MCG on Thursday. 'With the pain in my spine, where they put in a cage inserted there, I can't reach. I just can't put on socks and shoes. 'Some days I have to walk down the stairs sideways because I haven't had any cartilage — bone on bone, that is — for 40 years. 'Some days I can't shake hands with other men, and if they do so, I fear they'll re-open some of the broken bones in my hands from defenders' spoils and from when (a rival player) jumped on my hand deliberately. 'Some days I have to crab my way down the stairs because my often half-a-dozen times reconstructed ankle will not flex any more.' Brereton helped from field in the 1989 Grand Final after being struck by opponent Mark Yeates. Brereton and his teammates celebrate winning the 1988 Grand Final. Brereton says the gruelling daily battles have taken a toll on his mental wellbeing. Despite it all he wouldn't change a thing from his career. 'Some days I double up from rancid heartburn from the endless dosages of (painkillers and anti-inflammatories),' he said. 'Some nights I sleep very little because of the arthritis in my shoulder joints. That's from decades of lifting as heavy weights as I could, purely because the position I played required it. 'Some mornings, I pathetically allow myself to become melancholy and even teary over the degeneration and the physical toll that football has taken on my body. 'I often ask myself, in that moment of true misery, when I can't move, that moment of weakness, I'll ask myself, 'Was it worth it?'. 'And the answer's always the same. I'd do it all over again, exactly the same again. 'Maybe next time, though in the next lifetime, I might go a little harder.' Brereton was a key player for the Hawks during their blistering run in the 80s and early 90s when they won five out of nine premierships. Across that same span they appeared in eight Grand Finals, losing twice to Essendon and once to Carlton. During the 1989 Grand Final against Geelong, the Hawthorn centre half forward was taken out in the opening moments of play in a targeted hit that left him with two broken ribs and a ruptured kidney. Famously it wasn't enough to keep him out of the contest as he helped the Hawks win their second straight flag. Brereton ultimately departed the Hawks at the end of the 1993 season and joined the Sydney Swans in 1994 before his illustrious AFL career came to an end in 1995 as a member of Collingwood. He was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1999. More commonly known as Dermie, the Hawthorn icon has become a much loved commentator. Originally published as 'Was it worth it?': AFL legend's heartbreaking health reveal
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Footy great Dermott Brereton reveals secret health battle that is making even simple daily tasks impossible
AFL legend Dermott Brereton has delivered an emotional account of the lifelong toll football has taken on his body, revealing he now struggles to perform even the simplest tasks like putting on shoes or shaking hands. The five-time premiership forward spoke candidly at the Melbourne Cricket Club during the Norm Smith Oration, detailing his painful daily challenges caused by a career built on fearless, physical football. The man who once played through shattered ribs now needs help tying his laces. 'I pathetically allow myself to become melancholy and even teary,' he admitted. 'Some mornings my beautiful partner Julie has to put on my shoes and socks for me. 'With the pain in my spine, where they inserted a cage, I can't reach.' Brereton revealed he sometimes cries from the physical toll football has taken on his body His body, once built to absorb contact and punishment, now resists everyday movement. 'Some days I have to walk down the stairs sideways. I haven't had cartilage in my knees for 40 years.' Brereton, 59, became a Hawthorn icon during the club's dominant 1980s era, playing from 1982 to 1992. He was known for his flamboyance and aggression, famously playing through broken ribs in the 1989 VFL Grand Final. That trademark fearlessness won him respect and five premierships—but it came at great physical cost. 'Some days I can't shake hands with other men,' he said. 'If they do, I fear they'll re-open the broken bones in my hands.' Reconstructed ankles, damaged shoulders, and arthritic joints now define his day-to-day life. 'Some days I crab my way down the stairs because my ankle won't flex anymore,' he added. Brereton's speech combined humour and heartbreak as he recalled his upbringing in Frankston and rise to stardom. He shared the stage with Essendon great Tim Watson, whose light-hearted stories brought laughter to balance the emotion. 'To be honest with you, Tim, those [mid-'80s] battles took you to the edge of safety,' Brereton said. 'And for me, that is always where you get the best view of life.' He admitted to using powerful anti-inflammatories for decades—Indocin, Brufen, and Voltaren—which left him with ongoing stomach issues. 'Some nights I sleep very little because of the arthritis in my shoulder joints,' he said. That joint damage stemmed from years of heavy weight training to survive the demands of centre half-forward. In perhaps the most revealing moment, Brereton questioned whether it was all worth it. 'I often ask myself… in that moment of weakness—was it worth it?' His answer: 'I'd do it all over again, exactly the same. Maybe next time, I might go a little harder.' He recalled receiving regular epidurals just to keep playing during his peak years. 'In '86-89, I'd go to Vimy House after games for an epidural. I'd lie in bed all day, then head home.' Post-retirement, Brereton moved into media and was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1999. He acknowledged football had given him discipline, fame, romance, wealth, employment, and friendships. But it also took something dear: his long-term physical independence. 'It's also taken away something very dear to me,' he said. La Trobe University data, cited by the AFL Players' Association, shows 76 per cent of past players suffered serious injuries. Of those, 64 per cent say those injuries still affect their daily lives. Since 2017, more than 1150 past players have received reimbursements for joint and dental surgeries.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
AFL world reacts amid brutal news about Hawthorn legend Dermott Brereton
Hawthorn legend Dermott Brereton has lifted the lid on some of the debilitating effects of his AFL career, revealing he struggles to walk down stairs and needs his partner to put his shoes and socks on for him. Brereton played 211 games (189 for the Hawks) across a legendary career, winning five AFL/VFL premierships. He's an AFL and Hawthorn Hall of Fame member, and has become a popular commentator and analyst since retiring. But speaking at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday, the 60-year-old opened up about what life is like due to his career. As reported by , Brereton said he struggles to sleep some nights due to chronic shoulder pain, and has been forced to take anti-inflammatories for the better part of 40 years. 'Some mornings my beautiful partner Julie has to put on my shoes and socks for me," he said in his 'Toast to Football' speech at the annual Norm Smith Oration. "With the pain in my spine, where they put in a cage inserted there, I can't reach. I just can't put on socks and shoes. 'Some days I have to walk down the stairs sideways because I haven't any cartilage – bone on bone, that is – for 40 years. Some days I can't shake hands with other men, and if they do so, I fear they'll re-open some of the broken bones in my hands from defenders' spoils and from when [an opponent] jumped on my hand deliberately. Some days I have to crab my way down the stairs because my often half-a-dozen times reconstructed ankle will not flex any more.' Brereton recounted many of the battles he had with opposition defenders during a brutal era of hard-nosed footy. 'Some nights I sleep very little because of the arthritis in my shoulder joints. That's from decades of lifting as heavy weights as I could, purely because the position I played required it," he said. Brutally, he revealed he sometimes questions whether his career was worth the price he's now paying. But he always lands on the same answer. 'I often ask myself, in that moment of true misery, when I can't move, that moment of weakness, I'll ask myself – was it worth it?" he admitted. 'And the answer's always the same. I'd do it all over again, exactly the same again. Maybe next time, though in the next lifetime, I might go a little harder. '[It gave me] a lifetime of employment, it's given me a small dose of fame, occasionally given me romance. It has given me great friendships. It's given me my life's greatest mentor – Allan (Jeans, his Hawthorn coach). And it has given me a purpose. But it's also taken away something very dear to me.' AFL fans were stunned to learn of Brereton's plight, taking to social media with messages of support. Journalist Jake Niall said the revelations "should concern the AFL and past and current players." One fan wrote: "Good for him to speak out so others understand. Some things like that can be far too embarrassing to share. Particularly someone with Dermie's hardened image." RELATED: Hawthorn teammate's brutal public response to Jack Ginnivan act Sam Mitchell goes public with sad news about former teammate It comes after the son of Brereton's partner Julie was recently picked up by Essendon in the AFL's mid-season draft. Archie May, a 198cm-tall forward from WAFL club Subiaco, went to the Bombers despite Collingwood fans hoping to snare him. May had previously revealed how Brereton has helped with his development. "Obviously it's a lot of hard work and sacrifices that go into the journey. I think it's about proving the people close to me right," he said of his mother's partner. "Dermott has been massive in my development. Especially in the last few years as I took football more seriously." Good for him to speak out so others understand. Some things like that can be far too embarrassing to share. Particularly someone with Dermies hardened image. — 'Chickenhead' 👌👨🌾🧑🍳🥷🕵️♂️🐣🐤🐔🐓🌏🌕🔥🐎 (@Jimali1111) June 6, 2025 That's what afl players (professional players of any sport) give up to live the good life, their body. It's the cost of living the good life, getting paid really good money and opening up a lot of doors in life. Of course your body is going to be minced playing 10+ years of footy — Harry grant (@happyharrygrant) June 6, 2025
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘I just can't put on shoes and socks': Dermott Brereton's crippling legacy
Former Hawthorn great and media commentator Dermott Brereton has graphically described how he cannot put his shoes and socks on, and struggles to walk down stairs or shake hands on some days, due to the severe physical toll of playing football. In a powerful speech at the Melbourne Cricket Club, Brereton, who played in a famously combative style, detailed how his present life was impacted by injuries, how he struggled to sleep due to shoulder pain and that he was still feeling the impact of taking anti-inflammatory medications for four decades. 'Some mornings my beautiful partner Julie has to put on my shoes and socks for me. With the pain in my spine, where they put in a cage inserted there, I can't reach. I just can't put on socks and shoes,' Brereton, a five-time premiership centre half-forward for Hawthorn and one of the AFL's most visible commentators, told the function at the MCC dining room. 'Some days I have to walk down the stairs sideways because I haven't any cartilage - bone on bone, that is - for 40 years,' Brereton said, in his 'Ode to football' for the Norm Smith Oration at the MCG. 'Some days I can't shake hands with other men, and if they do so, I fear they'll re-open some of the broken bones in my hands from defenders' spoils and from when [an opponent] jumped on my hand deliberately. 'Some days I have to crab my way the stairs because my often half-a-dozen times reconstructed ankle will not flex any more.' Brereton's description of his physical ailments came in the final minutes of a speech – a mix of humour and pathos – in which he detailed his journey as the son of immigrants in Frankston to footy stardom as Hawthorn's centre half-forward. He was followed by another champion of that era, Tim Watson, whose light-hearted recollections were highlighted by humorous accounts of his recruitment by Essendon, his family in Dimboola and the eccentricities of legendary coach Kevin Sheedy. 'To be honest with you, Tim, Essendon and our [mid-'80s] battles took you to the edge of safety, and, for me, that is always where you get the best view of life,' Brereton said.
The Age
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Age
‘I just can't put on shoes and socks': Dermott Brereton's crippling legacy
Former Hawthorn great and media commentator Dermott Brereton has graphically described how he cannot put his shoes and socks on, and struggles to walk down stairs or shake hands on some days, due to the severe physical toll of playing football. In a powerful speech at the Melbourne Cricket Club, Brereton, who played in a famously combative style, detailed how his present life was impacted by injuries, how he struggled to sleep due to shoulder pain and that he was still feeling the impact of taking anti-inflammatory medications for four decades. 'Some mornings my beautiful partner Julie has to put on my shoes and socks for me. With the pain in my spine, where they put in a cage inserted there, I can't reach. I just can't put on socks and shoes,' Brereton, a five-time premiership centre half-forward for Hawthorn and one of the AFL's most visible commentators, told the function at the MCC dining room. 'Some days I have to walk down the stairs sideways because I haven't any cartilage - bone on bone, that is - for 40 years,' Brereton said, in his 'Ode to football' for the Norm Smith Oration at the MCG. 'Some days I can't shake hands with other men, and if they do so, I fear they'll re-open some of the broken bones in my hands from defenders' spoils and from when [an opponent] jumped on my hand deliberately. 'Some days I have to crab my way the stairs because my often half-a-dozen times reconstructed ankle will not flex any more.' Brereton's description of his physical ailments came in the final minutes of a speech – a mix of humour and pathos – in which he detailed his journey as the son of immigrants in Frankston to footy stardom as Hawthorn's centre half-forward. He was followed by another champion of that era, Tim Watson, whose light-hearted recollections were highlighted by humorous accounts of his recruitment by Essendon, his family in Dimboola and the eccentricities of legendary coach Kevin Sheedy. 'To be honest with you, Tim, Essendon and our [mid-'80s] battles took you to the edge of safety, and, for me, that is always where you get the best view of life,' Brereton said.
