By Jon Pierik, Ashleigh McMillan and Roy Ward
The football world continues to reel from the death of former West Coast premiership player Adam Selwood, sparking further debate about the AFL’s role in caring for players’ mental health.
Selwood, 41, died suddenly on Saturday. It is the second heartbreaking loss for the Selwood family – one of football’s most famous – after the loss of Adam’s twin brother, Troy, in February.
Adam Selwood at Eagles training in 2012.Credit: Getty Images
The brothers’ deaths have added to calls for the AFL to shine a greater spotlight on mental health, which could come through a dedicated round of matches. But mental health advocates and figures in the sector differed on the nature and extent of the role the AFL and clubs should play in dealing with players’ mental health.
West Coast paid tribute to Selwood with a moment of silence before their game against St Kilda on Sunday, and went on to win their first game of 2025. The tribute was followed by a Welcome to Country ceremony as part of the Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round. The Eagles locked arms as they observed the silence, among them veteran Jamie Cripps, who played with Selwood in 2013.
Eagles captain Oscar Allen made an emotional plea for people to seek help when facing distress.
“I know it is great to win a game of footy, but we’ve lost a legend of our club,” Allen told Fox Footy.
“We want to send all love and support to the Selwood family. Mental health is such a massive thing in society, at the moment. I struggled with my own mental battles this year and was so fortunate to have such a great support crew around me to have my back.
“I urge anyone out there who is struggling with anything, please reach out to the helplines, friends reach out to each other, because we are heartbroken and we want to give all our support to the Selwoods.”
Eagles forward Jake Waterman kicked the first goal, pointed to the sky and looked to the heavens, while Cripps kicked a first-term goal and was mobbed by teammates when he did, patting his black armband in tribute.
The Eagles players arm in arm before their match against St Kilda in Perth.Credit: AFL Photos
During his pregame chat with broadcasters, Saints coach Ross Lyon voiced what so many people were feeling.
“My condolences to his family. Words don’t cut it. I’m not sure what to say except that we are all rocked, I don’t know what to say,” Lyon told Fox Footy.
Former West Coast coach Adam Simpson and ex-Fremantle skipper Matthew Pavlich also shared their thoughts on Selwood on Fox on Sunday.
“I had the honour of working with Adam for seven years,” Simpson said. “He started as a development coach in 2014 [after his playing career]. He was a fantastic clubman, loyal father and husband. He’s going to be sorely missed.”
Pavlich was full of praise for Selwood – both the player and person.
“I played against him. He was a fierce competitor,” Pavlich said.
“I always found it really challenging to go up against him. And off the field we worked together at the Players Association quite a bit, so I got to know how loyal [he was], and how he thought about the game in general. He’s a special person.”
Players and spectators pause in tribute to Adam Selwood in Perth before West Coast’s game against St Kilda.Credit: Getty Images
Geelong great Cameron Ling, who played alongside other Selwood brothers Joel and Scott, said the football world was still in shock over Adam’s death.
“I’m absolutely heartbroken like so many people who know that wonderful family … beautiful, beautiful people that they are,” Ling told ABC Sport. “Our love and support are there for them whenever they need it. But, I just, I can’t imagine how tough it would be for them. They’d be going through so much pain right now.”
Twins’ deaths add to push for mental health round
Beyond Blue chief executive Georgie Harman said the football world needed to step back and look at how it could design the best programs for its people, including former players, while former Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett felt clubs had a more vital role to play.
Harman said the best thing the AFL could do was reach people early and tailor support for players, coaches and other groups within the game.
“We’ve done some work very recently to look at what supports are available in the AFL ecosystem, and it mirrors what is on offer in the general mental health system. There are a lot of different types of programs and services out there, but it’s really confusing,” she said.
“There are a really complex and cluttered array of mental health programs and support [within the AFL] – I’m not being critical of the AFL and AFLPA, but there’s a lot going on.
“But I think it’s time to step back, look at what’s out there, look at whether or not it’s working, look at how it’s connecting and ensuring that people understand that support is available.
“The best services and the best responses at times like this are those that are designed where you stop and you work with people that you’re trying to reach through these services to say, ‘What does good look like? What’s going to work for you?’ as opposed to just throwing more money at a system that you know is there. Pause, take stock and think about what is next.”
Wayne Schwass, the 1996 North Melbourne premiership player who now runs PukaUp, which aims to raise awareness of mental illness, said it was time for the AFL to take the lead and elevate the issue as it had done with racism through the Sir Doug Nicholls round.
“This is not only an industry issue, it’s a societal issue, and I have been a believer or proponent for a long time in this,” Schwass said on Sunday.
“Have a look at the advancements we have made in the AFL and the community with regards to racial vilification. We have educated ourselves, we have educated the community, we have educated the industry. We now have a better appreciation of the impact of that, and we have changed behaviour.
Adam Selwood was 41.Credit: AFL Photos
“So, why can’t we do something with mental health, and not just males’ mental health, but the mental health of everybody?”
Kennett, the former Hawthorn president and Beyond Blue’s founding chairman, said it was clear the AFL had made strides in improving how mental health is discussed and treated.
“I don’t think this is a moment when those of us who know quite a bit about the subject of mental health and suicide … and have worked in the AFL would be blaming the AFL – quite the opposite,” Kennett said.
He said the focus should be on clubs supporting current and former players and staff, and that clubs should have a medical doctor on their board.
“[Board members] who are doctors can not only continue to work with the club doctors, but also ensure that the protocols are being exercised,” Kennett said.
“Doctors can also bring to the board information that it would not normally have … just as a board should have an accountant, and it should have a lawyer to represent issues of good governance.”
Mental health round would reduce stigma: Schwass
Wayne Schwass said he had approached former senior executives of the AFL about a mental health round on several occasions only to be told: “[There are] too many themed rounds.”
AFL spokesman Jay Allen said the league understood the reasons for a mental health round, and pointed to the annual “Spud’s Game”, in honour of late St Kilda great Danny Frawley, as part of its public awareness campaign.
St Kilda, Carlton and the umpires link arms before Spud’s Game earlier this season.Credit: AFL Photos
But Schwass, who has raised mental health issues in the AFL since 2006, suggested that could be expanded to an entire round.
“I am not sure why, or [the reason for] the reluctance of the AFL, but what I am sure of is one loss of life is too many,” Schwass said, adding there was “an opportunity for the AFL to be a voice of change”.
“But it takes courageous leadership. I would urge the AFL, the leaders, to see this as an opportunity to honour the lives lost … but proactively begin to change attitudes, perceptions and abolish stigma. There is an enormous opportunity here if they are willing to be brave and bold.
“We need to be better. We don’t need to be the experts, I am not expecting them to be the experts, but the AFL needs to take a seat at this table.”
The AFL Players Association said it also supported the idea of a themed round.
The AFL, in a statement, detailed its overall mental health strategy, which includes a committee of mental health experts and representation from AFL clubs.
The league employs 37 people to provide support to talent pathways players, and a team of practitioners deals with the root causes of mental health issues, responding to them across the competition.
Every club must employ its own psychologist, while there are soft-cap concessions for mental health spending. There is also an AFL-funded network of Indigenous psychologists for culturally informed mental healthcare for First Nations players.
Mental health remains the No.1 issue impacting AFL players, according to their annual survey. Outgoing chief executive Paul Marsh said last month that he took pride in the AFL’s advancement in the mental health space during his tenure, but there was more work to be done.
Schwass said past players were regularly approaching the players’ association for help.
“There is another reason why we should have a themed mental health round – because it is the No.1 reason the players are challenged with and are confronting,” Schwass said.
Beyond Blue’s Harman said that between 2021 and 2024 the number of former players seeing a mental health expert had doubled – a positive development, as more people were getting help – but some people still didn’t realise help was available.
“This is the thing that I worry about the most.” Harman said. “There is a whole array of services out there, including Beyond Blue, that operates 24/7, is completely free and confidential, and we still have to spend a lot of time reminding people of that.”
Premier and coaches pay tribute
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan – from Bendigo, the same city the Selwoods were raised in – offered condolences on behalf of the state.
“My thoughts are especially with Bryce and Maree and the entire Selwood clan – a much-loved Bendigo family who have made an extraordinary contribution to Australian sport,” Allan said.
After their teams clashed at the MCG on Sunday, Richmond coach Adem Yze and North Melbourne’s Alastair Clarkson both spoke about the Selwood tragedy.
Clarkson said there would not be a person in the world whose heart wouldn’t go out to the Selwood family. He said the effort of Collingwood’s coaching staff to continue working on Saturday when the Magpies played Adelaide after the news had come through that the brother of assistant coach Scott had died was enormous.
“When things like that happen, it’s nearly like you want the whole world just to stop for a couple of days, just so you can get your head around things and put things back in perspective – because we love this game but … it’s nothing compared to the love of your family and friends,” Clarkson said.
“These things happen in our lives and it is with real heavy hearts we have to move forward.”
If you or someone you know is in need of support contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. In the event of an emergency dial triple zero (000). Support is also available from MensLine on 1300 78 99 78.