Kevin Sheedy hospitalised in Queensland with mystery illness

AFL legend Kevin Sheedy has been hospitalised over the last couple of days after being struck down with illness in Queensland.

Kevin Sheedy was hospitalised. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

AFL legend Kevin Sheedy has been hospitalised in Queensland after being struck down by a mystery illness.

The 76-year-old has reportedly spent a couple of days in hospital after falling ill while visiting family on the Sunshine Coast, The Herald Sun reported.

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Sheedy’s wife Geraldine released a statement on Sunday.

“Kevin was visiting family on the Sunshine Coast when he got a fever and sought medical treatment,” she said.

“He has since been admitted into hospital to undertake tests to determine the cause of the problem.

“Like all sports people, he’d prefer not to be spending time on the bench and he’s looking forward to getting back to Melbourne and resuming his commitments as soon as possible.”

Kevin Sheedy and wife Geraldine. Picture: Tony Gough

Earlier this season, Sheedy announced he would step down from the Essendon board at the end of the season after four years in the role.

Sheedy had taken the role to help rebuild the club’s football program.

“The club is in excellent hands with president David Barham and the current board,” Sheedy said in a statement.

“Vice president Andrew Welsh is doing an excellent job, looking after the football aspects from a board point of view.

“I was happy to step up and help when asked by Paul Brasher in 2020, and I have always done everything that I can to help this club. This will never stop.

“I am very confident under the leadership of CEO Craig Vozzo and coach Brad Scott that we are on the road to success.

“We have returned to being a football club where our ultimate focus is on winning football games and making our members and supporters proud with everything we do.

“Essendon means so much to so many people and with the current stability and renewed focus at the football club, we have the right foundations for sustainable success.”

Get well soon Kevin Sheedy. Picture: Mark Stewart

The proud club has now had two decades without a win in the finals, with the last victory in a final match coming in 2004.

In that time, the Bombers have only made the finals six times.

In 2024, Essendon lost nine of their last 12 to collapse to 11th on the ladder.

Sheedy was a Richmond great, having played in three VFL premierships for the club and being named in the Richmond’s team of the century after playing 251 games in 13 years for the club.

But he is also one of the greatest coaches in AFL history, having spent 27 years in charge of the Bombers between 1981 and 2007, winning four flags in that time.

He was also the inaugural coach of the GWS Giants.