Brendan Fevola opens up on marriage breakdown, mental health battle

Brendan Fevola has revealed the jaw-dropping moment he came clean to his AFL coach about the extent of his personal problems.

Brendan Fevola’s ill-fated stint with the Brisbane Lions torpedoed his footy career — but it also may have saved his life.

The ex-AFL goalkicker has revealed Lions coach Michael Voss helped him confront a battle with depression — that was sparked by a battle with alcohol, a gambling addition and a nasty split from wife Alex.

“I didn’t really know there was too much wrong, I was in my own bubble doing what I thought was something I loved which was footy,” Fevola told the What’s Your Problem podcast.

“Then I got injured and a lot of things happened in my life, as you said separation is a key factor, my wife left me.

“I didn’t realise until I sat down up in Brisbane with (coach) Michael Voss, who obviously got me up to the club.

Brendan Fevola at the Lions.

“He knew something was going on. He didn’t know me too well but he knew something wasn’t good because things were sort of derailing a little bit, the wheels were starting to fall off.

“I just felt like Vossy was that bloke — I don’t think he likes me much anymore — I felt like he was a good listener and he could help me. It was really weird. I haven’t spoken to him since I left Brisbane.

“He said we need to get you some help, we’ll do this, we’ll do that and God I felt amazing. It was like 100kg had been lifted off my shoulders.

“Finally I was saying this is what happened, I punted on this and I’ve done that and I’ve lost this much money, this is what happened with my wife.

“He’s sitting there and his jaw hit the table. He’s like ‘oh my God, this bloke is cooked’ but he got me the right help and I went into a clinic and it was probably the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Brendan and Alex before they split.

Fevola, who is back with Alex, said rehab turned his life around. “I was supposed to be in there for seven days, ended up being there for about 70 so there were a few issues going on that I didn’t really know about cause I never spoke about it, it was all bottled up inside,” he said.

“It literally was the best thing that ever happened to me because it got everything out.”

Originally published as Brendan Fevola opens up on marriage breakdown, mental health battle