Latest news with #Spud'sGame
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
AFL urged to go beyond mental health round with player voices to tackle stigma
Chelsea Frawley and Tom Boyd speak during a moment's silence for Spud's Game between St Kilda Saints and Carlton Blues at the MCG in 2025. Chelsea Frawley and Tom Boyd speak during a moment's silence for Spud's Game between St Kilda Saints and Carlton Blues at the MCG in 2025. Photograph: Josh Chadwick/From sharing more first-person stories to using destigmatising language in community football, the AFL can do more to improve mental health outcomes according to experts, whether or not the league pursues a themed round explicitly dedicated to the cause. The footy community has been beset by grief this week following the death of West Coast premiership player Adam Selwood at age 41, three months after his twin brother Troy – a former Brisbane player – died by suicide. Advertisement Former Kangaroos and Swans player Wayne Schwass, Cats great Jimmy Bartel and Swans' premiership-winning coach Paul Roos have been leading voices in the call for the establishment of a mental health round, but others including former Hawthorn president and Beyond Blue founder Jeff Kennett are opposed to the idea. Related: A week of grief is a reminder to reflect on the magnificent triviality of sport | Jonathan Horn As many as 43% of people aged 16–85 experience a mental disorder at some time in their life according to the ABS, and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has found suicide is the leading cause of death for people aged 15-44. The AFL developed its first mental health strategy in 2020 and updated it last year, outlining a vision that employees of the AFL and its clubs are 'supported to thrive in football, work and life'. Advertisement The league partners with six mental health organisations including the Black Dog Institute, which worked with St Kilda on 'Spud's Game'. That initiative raises money for mental health programs and builds a legacy from the life of former Saints captain and Tigers coach Danny Frawley, who died in 2019 after ongoing mental health challenges. Black Dog Institute chief scientist and executive director, Sam Harvey said the time for awareness 'has passed, what we need now is coordinated, sustained action'. 'There is more to do, particularly in supporting the broader community, including ex-players, and to promote crucial mental health research so that we can better understand why mental ill health continues to rise in Australia,' Harvey said. The AFL Players Association (AFLPA) offers counselling to current and former players and their partners and wrote to members this week to reiterate the wellbeing services available. In 2024, 429 former players or their partners took up the offer, a 24% rise on the previous year. Advertisement There are also dedicated programs and entities operating within the broader AFL sector. Tackle Your Feelings was formed by the AFL Coaches Association and the AFLPA in 2018, and provides a free mental health training program for players, community AFL coaches, and club support staff. Fifth Quarter is an independent not-for-profit supporting AFL and AFLW past players, their families and the community to achieve positive mental health and wellbeing. The AFL reported a record 528,000 registered Australian football participants in 2024. Dr Judith Griffiths, director of the Australian Association of Psychologists (AAPi), said there were opportunities for the AFL to effect wider change by using its influence in community footy. 'This could include embedding programs, training, and language that destigmatised mental health, partnering with community groups to create culturally safe content, using storytelling, visible champions, and inclusive messaging to shift community norms, using peer champions from underrepresented groups to train as mental health ambassadors and avoiding assumptions about gender and sexuality,' Griffiths said. Examples of destigmatising language provided by AAPi include mental health is 'something we all need to think about', that it 'exists on a spectrum', 'it's ok if you're feeling anxious today' and 'sometimes we might be thriving, sometimes we might be feeling challenged'. Advertisement Beyond Blue chief executive Georgie Harman said both the AFL playing group and broader Australian community face similar challenges and would benefit from similar approaches. 'That is, initiatives that are designed and set out to reach people early, before they reach crisis point,' Harman said. 'Our analysis shows that, like the broader mental health system, the football world offers a wide range of programs of services, but it can be confusing to know which one to access and when, what programs work best, and how all they all fit together.' Related: Former West Coast player Adam Selwood dies months after twin brother's death Advertisement SANE chief executive Rachael Green said research was 'very clear' that one of the best ways to address stigma is through relatable, first-person stories. 'Having high-profile sports people talk about their mental health challenges can not only help people experiencing mental ill health see they are not alone, it can also reverse harmful misconceptions about mental illness amongst the general public,' she said. Green called on the the AFL to consult widely before embarking on any activity 'to ensure the benefits outweigh the risks'. 'We also encourage [the] AFL to look beyond just a few elite level games,' Green said. 'Any meaningful campaign needs to be distilled down to community level to have the impact it needs to have.' • In Australia, support is available at Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline on 13 11 14, and at MensLine on 1300 789 978. Support for people who are grieving is available from Griefline on 1300 845 745. In the UK, the charity Mind is available on 0300 123 3393 and Childline on 0800 1111. In the US, call or text Mental Health America at 988 or chat Other international helplines can be found at
7NEWS
22-05-2025
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Carlton's Elijah Hollands takes indefinite leave for the second time in 2025 season
Carlton forward Elijah Hollands has taken indefinite leave for personal issues for the second time this year. The 23-year-old first took a break two days before the Blues' AFL season opener in March, telling teammates in an emotional mid-week address. He returned to the side for the 82-point win over North Melbourne on Good Friday then racked up 25 disposals and a goal in a win over Geelong the following week. Hollands has played every game since but has now sidelined himself for the foreseeable future, beginning with this Saturday's home game against the GWS Giants. Carlton have offered their 'full support' Hollands and will give him as much time away from the AFL program as he needs. 'Our support for Elijah remains ongoing, with the focus being on what is in the best interests of his personal health and wellbeing,' football boss Brad Lloyd said. 'As we know the journey is certainly not linear when it comes to this space, and as a club we will ensure Elijah is given all the time, care and support he needs.' The older brother of Blues teammate Ollie, Hollands was praised by the club for being open about his issues before the season. 'We applaud Elijah for having the courage to come forward and ask for help, and we will continue to work with him to ensure he gets all the support he needs,' Lloyd said at the time. 'While Elijah has been engaged with the football program, quite rightly it is our care for him as a person which matters most, so this period of leave will allow him to focus on himself and he will be afforded as much time as he needs to do that. Elijah's level of involvement within the football program during this period will be worked through at the appropriate time, however that certainly sits secondary to Elijah's wellbeing — which is our number one priority. 'We would once again like to acknowledge Elijah for his willingness to come to us for support, and we will certainly continue to provide him with that support through this next period.' Hollands was in good spirits in post-match interviews after his return to the team. 'It definitely gives me a different perspective on it now,' he told Fox Sports after the win over St Kilda in Spud's Game, dedicated to the late great Danny Frawley and mental health awareness. 'I didn't really know much about it and then it just smacks you between the face. 'It's such a great game and one that I'm really proud to be a part of, it sends a great message and it's great that we can honour Spud with this match.'
The Age
19-05-2025
- Sport
- The Age
‘Perfect teammate': Chris Judd's touching tribute as charity vows to honour Adam Selwood
AFL great Chris Judd referenced Adam Selwood's running capacity in a touching post to Instagram on Monday, describing 'Sellars', his fellow 2006 West Coast premiership player, as 'the perfect teammate'. 'He was a great runner, but it was purely a result of grit, determination and work ... every step was a testament to his determination, which was without peer. He was the perfect teammate, you knew you were getting his everything each week on the field while being completely focused on the team,' Judd wrote. 'While off the field his personality blended a hard edge with kindness and compassion, a kindness he gave to everyone else but not himself.' Harrison, the 2016 Young West Australian of the Year, established the charity in 2009 after losing her step-father to suicide. Selwood had written on his donation page: 'This cause is deeply personal to me, and this run marks an important step in my own healing journey, as well as an ongoing commitment to raising awareness about mental health and suicide prevention across the country'. Harrison said the charity's immediate focus was on supporting the Selwoods, and she planned to discuss with the family how best to use the money Adam had already raised and how this could be put to a long-term legacy. Selwood first aligned himself with the charity more than 15 years ago because it aided children and teenagers. 'We are figuring out a bigger legacy for that. We are mindful the public are very supportive … We are thinking of the bigger picture, what's going to honour him, what is going to honour the Selwoods, maybe a link to football,' said Harrison, whose brother Brodie was once on the Eagles' playing list. Asked how she would remember Selwood, Harrison replied: 'Absolute gentleman, is how I would describe Adam. Incredibly generous with his time … a man of integrity.' The deaths of the Selwood twins have reverberated across the football industry, and sparked a fresh conversation about mental health both in the AFL and broader communities. AFL great James Hird called on the sport to provide greater help for past players. Hird has previously written about spending time in a psychiatric facility after reaching crisis point with his mental health in 2017. 'The support past players get after the retire, when they get to 40, when they get to 50, I don't think is there,' Hird told Nine's Footy Furnace. 'I think a lot of players get through their careers, they get out, and they are fine, but there are lot that aren't. I really believe more needs to be done by the AFL, the AFLPA, the players, the clubs to help players that haven't quite filled the void that AFL football had for them.' The annual 'Spud's Game', a match played in honour of St Kilda great Danny Frawley where funds are raised for mental health, was held in round nine between the Saints and the Blues at the MCG. There are calls, led by former North Melbourne premiership player and mental health advocate Wayne Schwass, for an entire theme round dedicated to raising awareness of mental illness. Adam Selwood's premiership teammate Ashley Hansen, now a senior assistant coach with Carlton, added his voice for change on Monday. 'I think as the awareness and probably the severity of the problem is growing, it probably needs to be brought to the forefront, and certainly a large proportion of the football audience this is starting to affect,' Hansen said on ABC radio. 'Obviously, it was only last week that our club was involved in Spud's game. We probably need to grow that to a wider audience than just the St Kilda, Carlton football clubs, to have these conversations as to what people have available to them, the support.' Former Fitzroy and Adelaide coach Robert Shaw also wants greater awareness of mental health. Shaw and Hird have been involved with the FifthQTR foundation, established by Carlton premiership greats Ken Sheldon and Ken Hunter, which aids past players battling mental health issues. 'This is not a criticism of the AFLPA because I do genuinely believe the AFLPA do a great job across a lot of different parts, having had the benefit of that myself. But more needs to be done,' Hird said. 'More and more players who had full-time careers who didn't have anything else in their life, any trade, any education, have got to a point in life where self-worth, identity, is not there.' The AFL says it understands the reasons for a mental health round, and has pointed to its role in supporting Spud's Game. The AFL also runs a detailed mental health program for players and staff through its pathway programs and into the senior league. The AFL Players Association is supportive of the proposal for a mental health round, and also provides support and options for players in need of help. One of four Selwood brothers to play AFL, Adam played 187 games for West Coast, including the 2006 premiership. Loading Hansen said Selwood would be greatly missed. 'Yeah, it's certainly a time of reflection, and the ones that are missed are probably the ones that give so much to others. And that summed Adam up,' Hansen said.
Sydney Morning Herald
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Eagles pay tribute to Adam Selwood as proposal floated for AFL mental health round
'Our love and support are there for them whenever they need it. But, I just, I can't imagine how tough it would be for them. They'd be going through so much pain right now.' Loading The brothers' deaths have added to calls for the AFL to shine a greater spotlight on mental health, which could come through a dedicated round of matches, but Beyond Blue chief executive Georgie Harman said the football industry needed to 'step back' and look at how it could design the best programs for its people, including former players. Wayne Schwass, the 1996 North Melbourne premiership player who now runs PukaUp, which aims to raise awareness of mental illness, said it was time for the AFL to take the lead elevate the societal issue as it had done with racism through the Sir Doug Nicholls round. 'This is not only an industry issue, it's a societal issue, and I have been a believer or proponent for a long time in this,' Schwass said on Sunday. 'Have a look at the advancements we have made in the AFL and the community with regards to racial vilification. We have educated ourselves, we have educated the community, we have educated the industry. We now have a better appreciation of the impact of that, and we have changed behaviour. 'So, why can't we do something with mental health, and not just males' mental health, but the mental health of everybody?' AFL spokesman Jay Allen said the league understood the reasons for a mental health round, and pointed to the annual 'Spud's Game', in honour of late St Kilda great Danny Frawley, as helping to raise public awareness. Schwass, who has raised mental health issues in the AFL since 2006, suggested that could be expanded to encompass an entire round. The AFL Players Association told this masthead it also supported the idea of a themed round. While conceding more could be done, the AFL, in a statement, detailed its overall mental health strategy, which includes a committee of mental health experts and representation from AFL clubs. The league employs 37 people to provide support to talent pathways players, and a team of practitioners dealing with the root causes of mental health and responding to issues across the competition. Every club must employ its own psychologist, while there are soft-cap concessions for mental health spend. There is also an AFL-funded Indigenous psychologists network for culturally informed mental healthcare for First Nations players. Beyond Blue CEO Harman said the best thing the AFL could do was reach people early and tailor support for players, coaches and other groups within the game. 'We've done some work very recently to look at what supports are available in the AFL ecosystem, and it mirrors what is on offer in the general mental health system – there are a lot of different types of programs and services out there but it's really confusing,' Harman said. 'There are a really complex and cluttered array of mental health programs and support [within the AFL] – I'm not being critical of the AFL and AFLPA, but there's a lot going on.' She said there was 'stuff that pops up because we care and we want to come up with a new idea and form a new initiative and that is well-meaning. 'But I think it's time to step back, look at what's out there, look at whether or not it's working, look at how it's connecting and ensuring that people understand that support is available. 'The best services and the best responses at times like this are those that are designed where you stop and you work with people that you're trying to reach through these services to say, 'what does good look like? What's going to work for you', as opposed to just throwing more money at a system that you know is there – pause, take stock and think about what is next.' She also said between 2021 and 2024 the number of former players seeing a mental health expert had doubled – a positive development, as more people were getting help – but some people still didn't realise help was available. 'This is the thing that I worry about the most. There is a whole array of services out there, including Beyond Blue, that operates 24-7, is completely free and confidential, and we still have to spend a lot of time reminding people of that.' Former Hawthorn president and BeyondBlue's founding chairman, Jeff Kennett, said it was clear the AFL had made strides in improving how mental health is discussed and treated. 'I don't think this is a moment when those of us who know quite a bit about the subject of mental health and suicide … and have worked in the AFL would be blaming the AFL, quite the opposite,' Kennett said. He said the focus should be on clubs supporting current and former players and staff and that clubs should have a medical doctor on their board. '[Board members] who are doctors can not only continue to work with the club doctors, but also ensure that the protocols are being exercised,' Kennett said. 'Doctors can also bring to the board information that it would not normally have … just as a board should have an accountant, and it should have a lawyer to represent issues of good governance.' Schwass said he had approached former senior executives of the AFL about a mental health themed round on several occasions, only to be told: '[There are] too many themed rounds'. Loading 'I am not sure why, or the reluctance of the AFL, but what I am sure of, is one loss of life is too many,' Schwass said, adding there was 'an opportunity for the AFL to be a voice of change'. 'But it takes courageous leadership. I would urge the AFL, the leaders, to see this as an opportunity to honour the lives lost … but proactively begin to change attitudes, perceptions and abolish stigma. There is an enormous opportunity here if they are willing to be brave and bold,' Schwass said. 'We need to be better. We don't need to be the experts, I am not expecting them to be the experts, but the AFL needs to take a seat at this table.' Mental health remains the No.1 issue impacting AFL players, according to their annual survey. Outgoing chief executive Paul Marsh last month said he took pride in the AFL's advancement in the mental health space during his tenure, but there was more work to be done. Schwass said past players were regularly approaching the players' association for help. 'There is another reason why we should have a themed mental health round because it is the number one reason what the players are challenged with and are confronting,' Schwass said.
7NEWS
10-05-2025
- Sport
- 7NEWS
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon drops three-word zinger when quizzed about sore star Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera
Spirit will only take an AFL team so far and 'hard-arse' coach Ross Lyon says St Kilda are frustrated after their loss to Carlton. The Saints could never quite peg Carlton back after falling four goals behind in the second term, eventually going down 11.11 (77) to 9.8 (62) on Friday night at the MCG. The annual 'Spud's Game', which honours late St Kilda great Danny Frawley and supports mental health programs, attracted a crowd of more than 65,000 — easily a record for these two clubs outside finals. While St Kilda honoured the occasion, ultimately they couldn't match Carlton, with Lyon saying it had been 'a bit of a moving feast' in terms of the challenges they faced during the game. 'We're not confused, we just want to have a good look at it,' Lyon said. 'We never gave up ... but we need to learn and learn pretty quick. 'If I put my AFL hard-arse coach (hat) on, we're a bit frustrated and we want to improve quick, so we need to learn some lessons out of it.' Lyon said there was a lot to analyse post-game, wondering aloud about their ball movement. They were also beaten in contested possessions and stoppages, with Lyon noting the Blues midfielders overall were more experienced. 'We weren't as good as we've been - it's not excuses, they're very experienced and big,' Lyon said of the Carlton midfielders. 'That's just the challenge in development. They're the facts, but it's not an excuse.' Jack Higgins was subbed out at three-quarter time because of illness, while defender Dougal Howard has an adductor problem. Lyon had a laugh at that diagnosis after last week saying that adductor injuries (once upon a time) never existed in the AFL. Mattaes Phillipou made a successful return for his first senior game this season, after struggling with a leg injury. The 20-year-old slotted two goals, had 12 disposals, four tackles and a goal assist in an energised performance. 'Philippou coming back, we'll inject him (into the midfield),' Lyon said. 'It was a big effort by him not to have played a game (this year).' As the press conference was about to end, Lyon was asked about young gun Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera who was seen limping and spent a bit of time on the bench. 'He got trod on,' Lyon said as he walked out. 'The modern-day boot's quite nasty ... they wear slippers.'
