James Hird on FifthQtr Foundation hopes, return to AFL media

James Hird says an emerging independent voice for past AFL players could serve as footy’s version of Beyond Blue, as he reveals his trepidations about returning to the AFL media circle.

Essendon legend James Hird says an emerging independent voice for past players who have “fallen through the cracks” could act as footy’s version of Beyond Blue.

Hird believes with sufficient funding, the FifthQtr Foundation could offer a helpline service to former footballers, who are struggling to seek professional support for personal issues.

The former Bombers coach, who will on Tuesday return to the AFL media fold as a Footy Classified panellist, opened up about his difficult mental health battle to a room full of former VFL-AFL players during a FifthQtr forum at Ikon Park last week.

Hird, who asked for details he recounted of the years following the Essendon drug saga not to be published, said Beyond Blue had provided crucial immediate support in a time of need 10 years ago.

He said calling the charity helpline had sprung to mind as an option due to its vocal founder Jeff Kennett and its prominent positioning at the time in the AFL landscape.

Former Essendon star and coach James Hird spoke to former players about his mental health battles at an event for the FifthQtr Foundation last week. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“I’m not sure what (FifthQtr) could end up providing, but there’s definitely a need to help past players who are falling through the cracks,” Hird told this masthead.

“Anyone who can come in and help fill in the gaps … men struggle to openly put up their hand, but if there’s help in the form of someone at the end of a phone who can talk you through a hard situation and put you in touch with other services, that’s well and truly worthwhile.”

The foundation, led by Carlton great Ken Hunter wants to create “safe havens” in every state for former AFL and AFLW players, after its report found past players wanted greater assistance for a wide range of challenges including drug and alcohol problems, concussion-related health problems, mental health, financial and legal issues.

Hunter was adamant the foundation did not want to replace the AFL Players’ Association, but saw its future as an independent body which could offer more advanced support to players.

Hird said the AFLPA had “helped him incredibly” over the years, and his support of the foundation was not out of frustration with the league.

But he added there were funding limitations that meant not all past players could receive adequate support – especially not those without the financial safety net of many of the modern stars.

Hird will return to the AFL media as a panellist for Footy Classified after staying out of the spotlight since the Bombers’ drug saga barring a part-time coaching stint at GWS in 2022. Picture: Michael Willson / Getty Images

“The AFLPA has helped me incredibly over the years – they’ve been there when I’ve needed them,” Hird said.

“I want to highlight how lucky I was because I had this network of family … I made a bit of money through football, so you can actually take some time to breathe, and don’t maybe have to go to work.

“Some people go through that, finish football, they haven’t got a lot of savings … they don’t have a job, and then the finances fall apart, and it’s just an ongoing cycle you can’t get out of.”

Hird, who will also lead Port Melbourne’s VFL coaching department this year, said he felt a sense of “trepidation” as he prepared to return to football punditry on Nine’s Footy Classified program.

“There’s a bit of what you don’t know, you don’t know … but we’ll work it out on the night as well,” he said.

“When you’re coaching, you look at it from one angle, but when you’re presenting that information back to the general public, you’ve got to be able to put a bit of a different lens on it as well.”

Originally published as James Hird on FifthQtr Foundation hopes, return to AFL media