Mark Williams reveals how Richmond rallied around Chris Yarran after drug admission

FORMER Richmond assistant Mark Williams reveals the day Chris Yarran told him he was using ice and how a Tigers “circle of trust” helped him through it.

Chris Yarran at Richmond pre-season training in 2015. Picture: STEWART McLEAN

THE moment Chris Yarran confided in me he was using “ice” presented me with one of the biggest dilemmas of my football life.

It was early into his time at Richmond, and he was already under considerable pressure because he was injured, bringing about a negative head space for him, and constant attention from others.

He came to me one day, and said, ‘I need to tell you something ... I need to be honest’. I said to him, ‘What do you mean?’ I immediately went around to his house and he told me.

SHOCK ADMISSION: METH RUINED MY LIFE: YARRAN

STEPPING AWAY: YARRAN QUITS TO DEAL WITH MENTAL HEALTH

AFL DAILY: THE LATEST ON YARRAN’S DRUG REVELATION

Having not really known anyone with that sort of problem, I was like, ‘Where did you get it?’ He assured me it came from outside the club and had nothing to do with the Richmond Football Club.

My first reaction was to feel for him. Who knows what comes first, injuries, depression or drugs? But it was tears that followed.

Chris had some major family issues at the time, but if you add in his constant battle with injuries, mental health issues and the drugs, it became a toxic mix.

Chris Yarran at Richmond training. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Former Tigers assistant Mark Williams. Picture: Dean Martin

My second reaction — and the most powerful — was how can we help him. That was where the dilemma came in, given the football environment that we operate in, I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone about Chris’ problem.

I actually agree with the AFL’s policy of keeping players’ drug issues private. But knowing what I knew about Chris put me in an awkward position.

I was employed by the club and had a great working relationship and connection with senior coach Damien Hardwick, yet I wasn’t able to tell him what was really happening to the player who was meant to be his star recruit.

We made a pact that whenever I called him - no matter what time of the day or night - he had to answer the phone. I told him I wasn’t judging him; I just needed to know that he was OK.

He would always answer when I rang.

I called over to his house as often as I could, to check on him. Whenever he was in the shower or distracted, I would have a quick look around the place to make sure nothing was out of hand or looking through his fridge to make sure it was stocked with the right stuff.

It wasn’t long before I found out that the doctor also knew of Chris’ problem. When I discussed it with the doc, we were as relieved as each other that we could work together to help Chris.

There is huge pressure and enormous responsibility on the doctors at all clubs in this regard. The AFL must acknowledge that and take care of them too.

Others within the club, including the players, who were out of the loop, thought he was unprofessional and letting the team down when he missed a training session or a meeting or a massage. They didn’t know.

Chris Yarran in action for Swan Districts’ reserves earlier this year. Picture: Daniel Wilkins

In the end, I convinced Chris we needed to bring “Dimma” (Hardwick) into the loop.

It took me a while to get him to agree to that, but once we did, we also let a few others into our small circle of trust, including football manager Dan Richardson.

Unbeknown to most people inside the club and everyone outside of it, we put into place a lot of measures, including sending Chris away for rehab.

The amount of love and care invested in Chris from a small group of people - who didn’t want anything other than for his welfare to be attended to - was something they should be proud about.

Unfortunately, Chris never got to play a game with the Tigers, but that circle of trust have never stopped hoping he would one day get his life in order.

Watching Chris’ video on Thursday night was a marvellous thing. He has found God and seems to have found some peace.

If it turns out Chris Yarran is a happy man, living a clean and grateful life, it will be a big tick — and a big relief. Reflecting on it now, it is great to know that the AFL and Richmond, in particular, had the welfare of the player as the most paramount objective.

I am sure that other clubs reading this understand how important building trust between players and the staff at the clubs works in everyone’s best interests.

Who knows? Being a football coach, you also start to think that maybe - just maybe - the game could give this guy another chance, because such rare talents are hard to find.

Mark Williams was a member of the Richmond coaching staff in 2016