AFL: Danny Frawley’s daughter encouraged by AFL progress since tragic death

The daughter of late St Kilda great Danny Frawley says AFL players are now in better hands amid a spate of retirements due to concussion.

Danny Frawley Centre head of community and operations Chelsea Frawley says the AFL’s progress in helping players deal with concussion and mental health concerns is ‘very positive’. Picture: Michael Willson / Getty Images

The daughter of late St Kilda legend Danny Frawley is happy the AFL has made strong progress in protecting players from concussion-related health issues but lamented that “it took a few lives to be lost” to reach the current level of support.

Chelsea Frawley said future brother-in-law Angus Brayshaw had benefited from excellent support and vastly improved testing capabilities that were not available to her father in the wake of the Demon’s forced retirement from football last week due to the effects of concussion.

As St Kilda and Collingwood prepare to honour Danny Frawley’s legacy with the annual “Spud’s Game” clash at the MCG on Thursday March 21, the former St Kilda captain’s daughter said she was extremely thankful for the work the club and the Danny Frawley Centre were doing to support the health and wellbeing of the local community.

Frawley, who had been open about his long-running battle with mental health problems, died by suicide in 2019, with an autopsy finding he had suffered from CTE following an estimated 20 concussions during his football career.

Chelsea Frawley said she was pleased to see better support and medical testing available to Brayshaw, who is the fiance of her younger sister Danielle.

Danielle Frawley with fiance Angus Brayshaw, who was medically retired from the AFL last week after a decorated career at Melbourne. Picture: Instagram.

“I think five years ago, some of the testing that’s out wouldn’t be here, so I think although it took a few lives to be lost to actually get to the point where we’re now focusing on the importance of protecting the brain and how sacrosanct the brain is … it’s very positive that this testing has come this far,” Ms Frawley said.

“We’re just so passionate to make sure that no one has to go through what we did five years ago.”

Ms Frawley said the match’s Thursday night blockbuster slot against the reigning premiers would have thrilled her dad.

“It would be so exciting (for him). He absolutely loved his time at the Pies (as an assistant coach), so we’re really excited to play the Pies in prime time on the Thursday night.”

The proceeds from Spud’s Game will go directly to investing in the mental fitness programs and services run from the Danny Frawley Centre in Moorabbin.

Originally published as AFL: Danny Frawley’s daughter encouraged by AFL progress since tragic death