Police rule out suicide after premiership Eagle Adam Hunter found dead, aged 43

Investigators have released new details about their inquiry after Eagle Adam Hunter died at the age of 43.

WA Police have ruled out suicide as investigations continue into the sudden death of Eagles premiership hero Adam Hunter.

The West Coast Eagles great died at the age of 43, with the football club confirming the tragic news on Wednesday morning with a statement on social media.

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“We are devastated by the loss of 2006 Premiership Eagle Adam Hunter,” the football club said.

“Our thoughts are with his family, teammates and friends.”

The West first reported Hunter’s body was found in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The report noted Hunter’s body was found in Bunbury, south of Perth. Hunter grew up in Bunbury and called the southwest region home.

Hunter’s final act saw him attend a pre-season training session for South Bunbury on Tuesday night, a move that former Eagles coach John Worsfold said summed him up.

“Out of all my time in footy, which is a long time now, he’s probably the player that loved the game more than any player I’ve seen,” Worsfold said in a statement.

“I understand that he went to footy training last night and had a kick for South Bunbury because that’s just what he does.

“It makes me smile inside to know that one of the last things he did was he went to footy training, and he would’ve loved it I can guarantee that.”

Adam Hunter was a key piece of the Eagles’ iconic 2006 Grand Final win. Picture: Jackson Flindell/News Corp Australia

A pumped up Ernie Dingo with Adam Hunter after the 2006 AFL Grand Final. Picture: Michael Dodge/News Corp Australia

Local detectives had seized seized drugs and paraphernalia from the scene.

And while police are still waiting for toxicology results to determine if drugs played a role in the death, they have ruled out suicide.

WA Police South West District Superintendent Paul van Noort said the “items of interest” were being examined and they were “looking to see if they were linked to the cause of death”, but that they have concluded that Hunter had not deliberately taken his own life.

“It’s something we are looking at (the death being drug-related) due to what we found at the location,” he told The Nightly.

“Everything is up in the air and we are looking at everything with an open mind. They are just tragic circumstances, there is nothing suspicious.”

Hunter enjoyed a successful career in the AFL after being selected with pick No. 29 in the 1999 draft.

The premiership-winning player finished his career with 151 games for the Eagles before his retirement in 2009.

Among many memorable moments, Hunter famously kicked the final goal in the Eagles’ nail-biting 2006 Grand Final win over the Swans.

He returned to play for his childhood club South Bunbury in 2010 before re-launching his career in 2011 with Swan Districts in the WAFL.

Hunter’s death is another devastating development in a week where the AFL has already been rocked by two other tragic deaths.

Adam Hunter (left) and David Wirrpanda (right) announce their retirement together. Picture: Ian Munro/News Corp Australia

Former Brisbane Lions player Troy Selwood died on Tuesday in news that devastated the famous Selwood football family and the entire AFL community.

Earlier, Essendon VFL senior coach Dale Tapping died aged 59 following a battle with cancer.

Hunter battled legal issues following the end of his AFL career.

Serious domestic violence charges against Hunter were discontinued in 2021 with prosecutors telling the Perth Magistrates Court at the time there were “no longer reasonable prospects of conviction”.

Hunter had been accused of breaking into his partner’s Victoria Park home before assaulting her and preventing her from leaving in March, 2021.

His death has left figures across the Australian football community devastated.

Leading football journalist Ryan Daniels shared on Twitter: “Incredibly sad news. West Coast premiership star Adam Hunter has died.

“Thoughts are with his family, friends and former teammates. Extremely difficult couple of days in football.”

West Australian football commentator Paddy Sweeney wrote on X: “Very sad news with confirmation Adam Hunter has passed away”.

Former AFL player turned radio commentator Daniel Harford also shared a broken heart emoji in a post on X that read: “Bloody hell. Brutal”.