Former Port Adelaide forward Brett Ebert joins AFLPA to help players transition to life after footy

Former players Brett Ebert and Jace Bode know what it’s like to enter the workforce after an AFL career, and now they’re joining forces to help others make the same transition.

11/02/20 - Brett Ebert and Jace Bode from the AFL Players Association pictured in Vardon Avenue in the city.Picture: Tom Huntley

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The AFL Players Association is broadening its net to help those exiting the game transition to life after footy by employing former Port Adelaide forward Brett Ebert.

Ebert is working with the AFLPA’s regional manager in Adelaide, former Melbourne Demon Jace Bode, to make past players aware of the support services available to them regardless of how much footy they have played.

They held their second annual golf day at Glenelg last week and grew numbers from 30 past players in 2019 to 63 and they hope to crack 100 next year.

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Jace Bode and Brett Ebert from the AFL Players Association pictured in Vardon Ave in Adelaide. Picture: Tom Huntley

Ebert retired after 166 games in 2013 and now runs his own personal training business, which involves travelling to a mine once a month.

He says his own transition after footy helps him relate to others in a similar situation.

“Whether it’s on the study side of things, dealing with injuries, finishing up, finding contacts in employment,” Ebert said.

“I’ve found if you’re 20 and been there for two years or you’re 35 and played for 15 years, there’s a similar feeling of ‘you loved me and now I’m on my own’.

“And sometimes the older player feels worse because they’ve been looked after for so long, and now they’re a bit older the transition to study or the workforce, which they haven’t been in since they were 17, seems a bit harder.”

Ebert in action for Port Adelaide.

Bode playing against Collingwood.

Bode said mental health remained a high priority for the AFLPA.

“Clubs, now, if they haven’t put on a full-time psych then they are looking to,” Bode said.

“There is a regional manager in each state and we are there to support the club’s player development managers and connect them into our services and wellbeing network.

“There are over 200 specialists in the network Australia-wide which players can utilise.

“We’re finding the uptake of the services has grown exponentially because of the presence of the AFLPA in clubs, and clubs are aware of the support they can utilise.”

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Originally published as Former Port Adelaide forward Brett Ebert joins AFLPA to help players transition to life after footy