AFL star Ben Cunnington to undergo chemotherapy after cancer returns

North Melbourne has confirmed star midfielder Ben Cunnington will undergo chemotheraphy again after his cancer returned.

North Melbourne’s Ben Cunnington will undergo chemotherapy after a secondary cancer was discovered during a routine check-up this week.

The 30-year-old had successful surgery in July to remove a testicular tumour and missed seven games of the Kangaroos’ 2021 campaign.

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But in a club statement issued on Saturday afternoon, North Melbourne said Cunnington will now undergo a nine-week course of chemotherapy and is expected to make a full recovery.

“North Melbourne is providing its full support to club great Ben Cunnington, who will undergo chemotherapy after a routine post-surgery medical check-up detected a secondary cancer this week,” the statement said.

“Due to the sensitive nature of this news, North Melbourne asks that privacy is afforded to Ben, his immediate and extended family, friends, teammates, coaches and staff.

“The club will not be making any further comment at this stage.”

Cunnington has played 227 games for North Melbourne and is respected around the AFL as a hard-nosed inside midfielder.

He has been named the club’s best and fairest twice and remarkably finished runner-up in the 2021 Syd Barker medal, despite not playing in the last four rounds of the season.

Ben Cunnington will undergo another round of chemotherapy. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

At the presentation in October, Cunnington broken down in tears when accepting his award as he expressed his gratitude for all the support he had received during a difficult year.

“For some reason I’m getting a bit emotional even though I didn’t even win it,” he said.

“Oh I’m not good at this stuff,” he added, wiping tears from his eyes and pausing to gather his thoughts.

“Just to have the support from the club, the players and my beautiful family, yeah I couldn’t have done it without them.

“It’s more than I even expected. You think you’re a bit more alone but the support (from) everyone from the top of the club to the fans stuck at home, it’s been huge.

“It actually helps me smile and makes we want to keep continuing playing for this great club. It means more than I ever thought.”

Cunnington had surgery to remove a testicular tumour earlier this year. Photo: Michael Klein

North Melbourne finished on the bottom of the ladder in 2021 but Cunnington was encouraged by the promising signs shown by the young brigade of players coming through at the Kangaroos.

“I’m just a bit embarrassed because I don’t want to take the attention away from the winner,” he said.

“I love working with the young guys, it drives me every day.

“I try and think and help them in any way I can.

“To see them get the recognition … it means a lot to hopefully contribute to them in anyway to get us back to where we belong.”

The heartwarming speech was out of character for Cunnington, who is famously media-shy and known as a man of few words.

Originally published as AFL star Ben Cunnington to undergo chemotherapy after cancer returns