It’s time for a mental health round in the AFL
The tragic death of former West Coast premiership player Adam Selwood at just 41 is another devastating reminder of the mental health epidemic gripping young Australians, writes Nick Dyrenfurth.
This is especially so for men – including those who once seemed invincible on the field. Selwood’s passing isn’t just a personal tragedy for his family, it’s a national mental health crisis behoving a national response.
In the footy world, symbolism matters. The AFL has turned themed rounds into cultural cornerstones – from the magnificent Indigenous round to AFLW Pride Round, Anzac Day and the more recent Gather Round – each designed to celebrate, educate or commemorate.
Yet one gaping omission persists – mental health. In an era where the greatest sport on Earth prides itself on being “more than just a game”, this oversight borders on negligence.
According to Australian Bureau of Statistics data, suicide is the leading cause for one in three men and women aged 15-24 and more than one in five people aged 25-44 in 2023, the AFL’s core demographic and the age bracket of most players.
Suicide accounts for nearly double the next highest causes – accidental poisoning and land transport accidents. The 25-44 age group graphically illustrates the maleness of our national crisis: In 2023, 15.4 per cent of deaths in females aged 25-44 were due to suicide, but for males, that number is 25.1 per cent.
These aren’t just statistics, they’re stories of mates, sons and daughters, mums and dads – and yes, players – lost to mental illness.
They include the names we dare not forget – Shane Tuck, Cam McCarthy, Selwood’s twin Troy, and perhaps most poignantly, Danny “Spud” Frawley.
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Frawley’s death in 2019 shocked the footy world, not least because of his post-playing role as a mental health advocate.
A fierce competitor turned gentle educator, Frawley laid bare his battles in the hope that others might find strength in speaking up. His legacy lives on in Spud’s Game, a fixture launched by St Kilda – the club he loved – to honour his mission.
“Spud’s Game: Time 2 Talk” has grown into a powerful, moving tribute. It’s more than a football match. It’s a platform for conversation, a fundraiser for mental health initiatives, and a living reminder of how silence can turn to tragedy.
Then AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan was among the mourners at Frawley’s funeral. Image: AAP
And yet, while Spud’s Game is admirable, it remains a club-led initiative. The AFL supports it, promotes it, but still hasn’t gone further. Why not elevate it? Why not enshrine it across all nine games in a dedicated Mental Health Round? Not just to honour Frawley, but to honour everyone in the footy community – from local volunteers to elite athletes – who grapples with the black dog.
Contrast this with the league’s response to other worthy causes. The Indigenous Round, now Sir Doug Nicholls Round, has rightly grown into one of the most celebrated weeks on the calendar.
Pride Round, too, has opened hearts and minds. Breast cancer, motor neurone disease, gender equity, domestic violence – all find space on the AFL stage. Yet the leading cause of death for young and middle-aged women and men? This must change now.
This isn’t a call to abandon any existing rounds – far from it. It’s a plea to add one more, as leading former player mental health advocate Wayne Schwass urges. Done properly, it could be transformative.
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AFL and local footy clubs could share player stories, partner with mental health organisations, offer free counselling services at games, and spark difficult conversations among fans. And most importantly, it could save lives.
One of the AFL’s greatest strengths is its emotional grip on Australians, especially blokes. It can reach people where government campaigns and health ads fall short.
When a club like Richmond speaks, its fans listen. When a player opens up about their mental health, it resonates across locker rooms, pubs, and living rooms in a way few institutions can.
The AFL Players Association has made mental health a key concern. But without the league throwing its full weight behind the cause, we’re left with piecemeal programs and after-the-fact tributes. It shouldn’t take another tragic death for the AFL to act.
Yes, some might argue we already talk about mental health “enough”. But if that were true, suicide wouldn’t be our leading cause of death for people in their prime. If that were true, we wouldn’t lose former elite athletes – men who appeared strong, fit, and invincible – to darkness and desperate acts. If that were true, thousands of ordinary footy fans wouldn’t be suffering in silence.
The AFL has made progress. Coaches and the media speak more openly about stress, anxiety, and depression. We see fewer eye rolls when players take time off to protect their mental health.
Regardless, it’s easy to hold themed rounds when the issues are uncontroversial or celebratory. It’s harder when the subject is uncomfortable, messy, and ongoing.
Exactly why we need a Mental Health Round. To pierce the silence. To name the problem. To put resources behind it. To honour those we’ve lost and support those still fighting.
The AFL has a platform. It has money. It has influence. And a moral obligation to act.
A dedicated AFL Mental Health Round would be a bloody good place to start.
Nick Dyrenfurth is executive director of the John Curtin Research Centre.
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