The demise of Adam Selwood should be a turning level. Here’s what the AFL can do to assist

On Saturday, the Australian soccer neighborhood used to be left shaken through the heartbreaking information of Adam Selwood’s demise.

Coming simply 3 months after the demise of his dual brother, Troy Selwood, a former Brisbane Lions participant, the dual tragedies have now not handiest devastated their households, teammates, and buddies however have additionally reignited pressing conversations round a psychological well being disaster in retired AFL avid gamers.

A disaster that many argue isn’t being adequately addressed.

Adam Selwood used to be 41. He leaves at the back of a tender circle of relatives, together with kids who should now develop up with out their father, simply as Troy’s kids should with out theirs.

In fresh weeks, Adam had turn into an suggest for psychological well being consciousness, visibly grieving the lack of his brother however channelling that ache into goal.

He used to be because of run within the 2025 HBF Run for a Reason, now not simply as a player however as a fundraiser and voice for suicide prevention charity ‘zero2hero’. His purpose used to be to boost $10,000.

At the time of his demise, donations had greater than doubled that determine.

The Selwood brothers’ deaths have struck a uncooked chord around the nation, now not merely on account of their prominence within the AFL international, however as a result of their tales replicate a painful fact: too many retired athletes are struggling in silence.

Their post-career lives, as soon as stuffed with goal, regimen, and popularity, can temporarily turn into unfamiliar and unsteady. What occurs when the roar of the sport fades and the adrenaline is changed through stillness? For many former avid gamers, that silence is deafening.

Although the Selwood twins’ deaths are a number of the maximum publicised, they don’t seem to be remoted. In fresh years, a worrying development has emerged: a rising collection of retired AFL avid gamers are grappling with despair, anxiousness, PTSD, and suicidal ideation.

A 2025 inside find out about launched through the AFL Players Association confirmed in 2024, 23.6 according to cent extra former avid gamers sought psychological well being make stronger by means of the organisation than in 2023, whilst between 2021 and 2024, the collection of avid gamers consulting with knowledgeable had doubled.

While the AFLPA does be offering confidential counselling and transition make stronger, it will not be sufficient sufficient, particularly when the depths of avid gamers’ emotional and mental scars are handiest absolutely realised years after retirement.

Add in power ache, undiagnosed concussion signs, and even early-onset dementia from repeat head trauma, and the post-AFL truth can also be stark and alienating.

There are methods and efforts in position, some run through the AFLPA, others through exterior organisations, geared toward easing the transition from an elite wearing profession to retirement.

However, those tasks are frequently restricted in scope or succeed in.

It is time for the AFL to put into effect a devoted Mental Health Round, like Sir Doug Nicholls Round, to brazenly recognize the problem and destigmatise help-seeking. It could also be price a minimum of bearing in mind a compulsory psychological well being go out plan for all retiring avid gamers, whole with long-term counselling get right of entry to, circle of relatives make stronger, and neurological screenings.

If we invested as a lot in our former avid gamers’ well being as we do their game-day efficiency, we’d be saving lives.

The deaths of Adam and Troy Selwood should be a turning level. This can’t be a passing headline, mourned for per week after which buried within the noise of the following fit. These tragedies must mark the start of a major, sustained dedication to psychological well being make stronger around the AFL ecosystem.

That manner increasing investment for retired participant services and products, partnering with psychological well being organisations, developing peer make stronger networks, and enforcing post-career check-ins that closing now not only for months, however years.

It manner teaching avid gamers from their first day within the league that power is located now not in silence, however in talking up.

As lovers, as golf equipment, as a country, we owe it to the Selwoods – and the numerous others who’ve suffered quietly – to construct a long term the place no participant feels left at the back of.

Let their legacy be greater than reminiscence. Let it’s alternate.

If you or anyone you realize is suffering, make stronger is to be had:

Headspace on 1800 650 890 or headspace.org.au
Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au
13YARN: 13 92 76 or 13yarn.org.au
Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au
Urgent Help – Play AFL: play.afl/urgent-help