'Be serious': Eddie McGuire's passionate plea to AFL, clubs after Selwood tragedy

Eddie McGuire wonders whether AFL footballers need a better work-life balance, in the wake of the passing of twin brothers Troy and Adam Selwood this year.

Adam Selwood, 41, died on the weekend, sending shockwaves through the footballing community.

The former Collingwood president believes the stigma around mental health in general is changing rapidly, but wonders whether more can be done within AFL clubs to provide players with greater day to day fulfilment and training, so that they are set up for life after the game.

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However, McGuire adds that with greater leeway for the players comes a greater responsibility for them to use that time wisely.

"We're getting to the point where the stigma (around mental health) is gone. I move quickly into results and how we try and come up with solutions," McGuire told the Eddie and Jimmy podcast.

"I say this a lot, just because you get paid, doesn't make you professional. I think there's still an old fashioned and well-meaning aspects to AFL football.

"Back in the day, people worked and played VFL football. My point is this, as full time athletes, it's far too long to be spending eight hours a day focusing on football.

"Now, the players have got to buy into this, because every time a club does a deal with a university, you lead a horse to water, and they all fudge their homework and laugh about it and go to the AFL Player's Association so I can get a laptop so I can play Fortnite 24/7.

"We've got to get the dumb f---ery out of football and be serious and stop pandering to the lowest common denominator and to cliché.

"If we're going to be absolutely serious about this, then we need to be absolutely serious about it. You have to put parameters on players.

"If I tell you that you have to have a skinfold of whatever it is, say 10, and you turn up with 11, then you know you're in trouble.

"And it's not until later in life where you go 'geez, I should have learned Shakespeare instead of looking out the window and thinking about Mary Smith around the corner'.

"I think we need to get a far better football-life experience in the time players are at a club, with the proviso that we are paying you to play football.'

Collingwood coach Craig McRae broke down in tears during his post-game press conference, when asked about Selwood.

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