Calls for the AFL to introduce a mental health round are growing louder following the tragic death of former West Coast premiership player Adam Selwood.
His passing at just 41 years old, only three months after the suicide of his twin brother Troy, has rocked the AFL community and triggered an urgent push for action.
Players, fans, and mental health advocates are urging the league to step up in the same way it has previously championed social causes like racial inclusion.
Data from the AFL Players’ Association underlines the crisis.
In 2024, there was a 23.6 per cent increase in the number of former players seeking mental health support compared to the year prior. Since 2021, that number has doubled.
While the AFL has acknowledged a mental health round remains under consideration, many believe that consideration is no longer enough.
West Coast Eagles premiership winner Adam Selwood died just months after his twin brother Troy Selwood (pictured, the tribute to Selwood at the West Coast Eagles match on Sunday)
West Coast Eagles players, coaches, greats and fans all honoured Adam before the club’s stirring win over St Kilda
Joel Selwood, Adam Selwood and Scott Selwood (pictured left to right) had only just buried their brother Troy in February this year
Spud’s Game is an annual AFL match dedicated to raising awareness and funds for mental health initiatives, held in honour of the late Danny “Spud” Frawley, a beloved St Kilda captain and mental health advocate who tragically died by suicide in 2019.
But former players are calling for more – and for the entire AFL to be involved.
Former West Coast midfielder Brayden Ainsworth has led the chorus of support, calling for a league-wide mental health round that not only raises awareness but also generates funding for real-world services.
Speaking to ABC Radio Perth, Ainsworth described Adam Selwood as ‘a kind, caring man who just wanted to help as many people as he could’.
Ainsworth, who has battled anorexia and mental health challenges since his delisting from West Coast, now runs workshops aimed at helping young men speak up.
‘I think a mental health round can break the stigma,’ he said.
‘It’s not about putting colours on jumpers – it’s about raising funds, building services, and reaching people.’
Ainsworth said the round could create a ripple effect from grassroots football all the way to the elite level.
Brayden Ainsworth has spoken up about the need for better mental health resources after suffering after his own footy career ended
Mental health advocate and former North Melbourne premiership star Wayne Schwass also wants to see change in the AFL
‘One round won’t fix everything, but the platform it provides can save lives,’ he added.
He also shared his personal struggles after being cut from the AFL.
‘It was the most challenging period of my life. I ended up in hospital. The shame, the guilt, and the self-worth issues all came crashing down,’ he said.
‘The delisting was just the tipping point.’
He credited support services like the AFL Players Association but said the hardest part was admitting he needed help.
‘Reaching out makes it real,’ he said. ‘That’s the scariest thing.’
Former North Melbourne premiership star Wayne Schwass, now a leading mental health advocate through his organisation PukaUp, believes the AFL has a responsibility to lead on this issue.
‘This is not only an industry issue, it’s a societal issue,’ Schwass said. ‘One loss of life is too many. This is an opportunity to honour the lives lost and proactively begin to change attitudes and abolish stigma.’
St Kilda honour the memory of their former skipper Danny Frawley in Spud’s Game every year
Frawley was a mental health advocate but tragically died by suicide in 2019, sending shockwaves through the AFL
Schwass said the AFL had shown what was possible with Sir Doug Nicholls Round, which elevated awareness and action on racism.
He believes a similar approach to mental health could reshape attitudes across sport and society.
‘You don’t need to be an expert, but you do need to show leadership,’ Schwass said. ‘The AFL has a chance to be a voice for change.’
Ex-Hawthorn president and Beyond Blue founder Jeff Kennett echoed the importance of structural support.
While he praised the AFL’s evolving approach to mental health, he called for every club board to include a qualified medical doctor to ensure appropriate oversight and governance.
‘Doctors can bring to the board vital information that would not otherwise be available,’ he said.
Former Carlton and Brisbane forward Brendan Fevola also called for stronger AFL leadership in the space.
‘We see it all the time – players struggling,’ he said. ‘The AFL doesn’t shine enough light on men’s mental health.’
Brendan Fevola had big problems with his mental health when he moved from Carlton to the Brisbane Lions
Bernie Vince wants to see more support for players when they leave the sport to face the real world
Fevola said he once stayed silent during his darkest times because of fear and shame.
‘I thought if I spoke up, people wouldn’t like me. That’s what so many men are afraid of,’ he said.
Ex-Crows and Demons player Bernie Vince added that the brutal transition out of football is a major contributor to mental distress.
‘You’re put on a pedestal when you play footy,’ he said.
‘Coming down from that – when the attention goes, the structure goes, the purpose goes – it’s overwhelming.’
Vince said the Selwood tragedy reflects the painful truth many ex-athletes face.
‘You’re so young when you enter the system, but you’re unprepared for what happens when it ends,’ he said. ‘It can swallow you up.’
On social media, fans have echoed the call for urgent change.
‘A mental health round can’t come soon enough,’ one user posted.
‘This is happening too often.’
Another wrote: ‘It’s the least the AFL can do. I support this 100%.’
Despite the AFL highlighting awareness initiatives like Spud’s Game, held annually by St Kilda in honour of Danny Frawley, Schwass believes the league must go further.
‘It’s not about filling a calendar,’ he said. ‘It’s about saving lives and changing culture.’
For confidential 24-hour support in Australia call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or via lifeline.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
