'Be brave and bold': North Melbourne premiership winner's plea to AFL after Selwood tragedies
Updated . First published at
Former West Coast coach Adam Simpson says his "heart breaks" in tragic situations like the one surrounding the Selwood family as the AFL faces calls to introduce a mental health round.
The AFL world is in mourning after Adam Selwood, a member of the West Coast team that won the 2006 premiership, died on Saturday morning.
Adam's death at 41, which is not being treated as suspicious, came just three months after his identical twin brother, Troy, took his own life in February.
FOLLOW LIVE: State of Origin I teams selection scuttlebutt
READ MORE: Umpire howler stuns as Roos end eight-year hoodoo
READ MORE: Red Bull ace walks away from monster qualifying crash
Adam remained at the Eagles after retiring in 2013, firstly as a development coach and later as the club's inaugural head of female football.
Simpson, who worked with Adam in those roles, shared some heartfelt words on Fox Footy ahead of Sunday's match between West Coast and St Kilda.
"It's been a really tough 24 hours, especially for the Selwood family," Simpson said.
Adam Selwood (second from left) singing the West Coast victory song in 2012. Getty
"From a club point of view, he spent 17 years at the club, and when you spend that much time there you really grow up there ... He was just a great clubman, a loyal husband and father.
"To go through this for anyone is really difficult, and the heart breaks. It really does."
Among the mental health advocates in the AFL world is Wayne Schwass, who played in the North Melbourne side that won the 1996 premiership and has since founded an organisation called PukaUp.
Schwass, who's been public about his mental health struggles, said many years ago that although winning the 1996 grand final was a "joyous occasion", he was at one of his "lowest ebbs" due to clinical depression.
Schwass' PukaUp organisation aims to combat suicide through education and facilitating conservations.
The 56-year-old told The Age he had approached the AFL on several occasions pushing for a mental health round to be introduced, only to be told: "[There are] too many themed rounds".
Adam Selwood speaks at the funeral of his identical twin brother, Troy, at Kardinia Park in February. Standing to the side are the two other Selwood brothers, Scott (left) and Joel. AFL Photos via Getty Images
"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.
The former Kangaroo and Swan added there was "an opportunity for the AFL to be a voice of change".
"But it takes courageous leadership," he said.
"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. 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.
"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."
Ian Fairley (left) and Wayne Schwass celebrate winning the 1996 AFL premiership with North Melbourne. Getty
Wide World of Sports contacted the AFL for comment and in reply received information regarding the league's mental health strategy.
The AFL has a team of 37 people employed to provide support to talent pathways players, as well as a team of practitioners dedicated to reducing the root causes of mental health problems and responding to needs across the industry.
Furthermore, every player has access to a club psychologist and can seek help for their mental health with a specialist at any time, funded by the AFL, while there are also soft-cap concessions for mental health spend.
Additionally, there is an AFL-funded Indigenous psychologists network for culturally informed mental healthcare for First Nations players.
The AFL also pointed out that although it didn't have a mental health round, St Kilda has its annual Spud's Game held in honour of the late Danny Frawley, who took his own life in 2019.
Ahead of the latest edition of Spud's Game, held at the MCG last Friday night, Western Bulldogs great and mental health advocate Tom Boyd implored everyone in the AFL community to draw upon the "character, conviction and courage" required to check in on their mates.
In a statement on the Adam Selwood tragedy, the AFL Players' Association reiterated its support of the mental health cause.
"The AFLPA continues to offer free and confidential wellbeing support nationwide to all current and past player members as well as their significant others," the AFLPA said.
A minute's silence took place at Perth's Optus Stadium ahead of Sunday's match between West Coast and St Kilda.
The Eagles then defeated the Saints by 28 points to record their first win of the season, before captain Oscar Allen shared some emotional words in honour of the Selwood family.
If you or anyone you know needs immediate support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or via lifeline.org.au. In an emergency, call 000
