Opinion: The AFL’s Mental Health Hypocrisy

The recent death of former AFL player Adam Selwood, just 3 months after his twin brother Troy took his own life, has naturally sparked a conversation about the mental health of players in the competition. 

(Credit: Gus Simpfendorfer)

Like a number of social issues in Australia, there seems to be a pattern occurring.  Former players are taking their lives, conversations regarding mental health and head knocks are occurring and those very conversations are eventually fading out of public interest until the cycle occurs again. 

It goes without saying, mental health is not a crisis isolated to the AFL. Nearly 9 Australians die every day to suicide, doubling the road toll. 

Yet the recent revelations about  footballers’ exposure to CTE, and the statistics of suicide amongst males (men account for 75% of suicides), has appropriately led to discussions about a ‘Mental Health Round’ in the mens AFL competition. 

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a degenerative disease that affects people who have suffered repeated concussions, and brain injuries. In 2023, Victorian State Coroner John Cain recommended the AFL do more to prevent concussion, following the death of former player Shane Tuck.

A lot of the discourse surrounding mental health within the AFL’s ethos has been led by former-players turned journalists. People such as Jimmy Bartel , James Hird and Gary Lyon . 

Lyon mentioned that “the footy community is getting better at understanding [men’s mental health]”.

Lyon’s sentiment about the AFL having a better understanding of the mental health issues that affect their players, present and past, are undoubtedly true. However, it did pose two questions in my mind that have stuck with me over the last few days. 

One, What actually is the footy community? Two, Is this “footy community” represented accurately by its governing body, the AFL, and its ever-critical media, especially when it comes to mental health?

The first question is almost impossible to answer. Such a term like “footy community” that is thrown around so vaguely and frequently is consequently quite subjective. 

The answer to the second, however, is perhaps more achievable, but requires a near thesis to do so. 

But I’ll try to do my best in 700 words. 

Football coverage runs best when the football world is in commotion. 

With the AFL under constant scrutiny from their fans, players and media personalities, for an array of on & off field incidents, it means that every football journalist around the country is eating away at every controversy.

But with this has come a new culture amongst sport journalists that has expanded their role from analysts and observers, to critics of players’ character . 

Some industry names have become so obsessed with their own opinions, that they've lost perspective for ethical journalism that respects the players of the very game they comment on.

Kane Cornes, like many media personalities, rose to fame by framing himself as somewhat of a  devil's advocate, making a name for himself with his harsh criticism and no nonsense persona. He played this role quite comfortably, with a few of his shows running segments like “vol-kane-o” which amplify his sometimes unpopular opinions.

Recently, Cornes found himself in hot water with two clubs, North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs, over what were considered “personal” criticisms . 

Cornes was banned by North Melbourne from engaging with them on all platforms, after he targeted young star Harry Sheezel on live TV. 

Cornes came up with a new statistic for Sheezel, arguing that he was selfishly stat-padding for easy disposals, which he called ‘Sheezey’s’. When fellow panelist, Nick Riewoldt, called Cornes out for his harsh criticism, Cornes simply replied “it’s what we do”. 

There’s an argument to be made that Cornes is simply doing his job - analysing and commenting on the game. Yet when a high profile pundit isolates a 20 year old athlete, in just the second year of his career, I ask, as a footy fan, is this what I want from the media?

We often preach, especially in Australia, that our sporting icons are role models, and are rightly held accountable for much more than their sporting prowess. 

Perhaps it's time sports journalists were held to the same account. 

Harry Sheezel is seen by all football fanatics as a genuine star of the game, and if Kane Cornes hadn't targeted him live on air in the way he did, no one in the footy community would even be reconsidering Sheezel’s stature in the game. 

Whether or not Cornes comments have an effect on Sheezel’s mental health is something that I’m unable to answer. But I would argue that North Melbourne had every right to put an indefinite ban on Cornes’ presence within their football club. Not just to protect Sheezel, but instead send a message to the AFL, that criticism of players should not get to a point where it leaves players feeling isolated from other players, simply because of their on-field performance 

Particularly young players, who are certainly the most vulnerable to the media and their antics. 

In a country where suicide is the leading cause of death among people aged 15–24 years old, and in a sport which has recently been deeply affected by suicide, surely an industry that prides itself on being fact based, should find some empathy within the facts.

But it isn’t simply in the media, where the AFL comes off a bit rich. The mass of gambling advertisements and sponsorships throughout the AFL, is often disregarded in the mental health discourse. 

When mental health is discussed by the AFL not only regarding AFL players, but broader issues of mental health within Australian society, the gambling culture within Australian sport 

Gambling has become so entrenched in Australian culture that to watch a tribute video for Adam Selwood you have to sit through a 15 second Sportsbet ad telling you to ‘have a crack.’ 

A number of high profile faces (including Cornes) appear in a number of Sportsbet sponsored shows throughout the AFL’s online platform. 

Whilst Sportsbet using big names to attract gamblers might be irrelevant to mental health, the power that gambling companies hold within the AFL, certainly is. 

More than 96% of people with a gambling disorder have at least one comorbid mental health issue, including depression, anxiety and personality disorders. 

Take the AFL’s website, for example. If you look at each of the weekly upcoming games, you’re given the odds for each side to win, and a Sportsbet video for each of these matches (presented by Cornes)  previews the markets in player disposals, margins and goalkickers 

Gillon McLachlan, who served as the AFL’s CEO from 2014-2022, declared in 2019 that the issue of Mental Health was “as significant as any,” to the AFL. He appointed a new role - Mental Health Manager, to assist with the ongoing trend of AFL players dealing with mental health issues.

Gillon McLachlan is now the CEO of TabCorp, Australia’s largest gambling company. 

The pattern of irony that comes with the AFL’s relationship to gambling companies is something that will last an eternity. Simply because, Australia’s gambling giants are not going anywhere. 

There is a large push to increase the legislation and regulation surrounding gambling advertising within Australia. The Albanese government has proposed cutting the volume of Gambling ads in TV and Radio. 

But the AFL and other major sporting codes, like the NRL, have remained relatively silent on the issue, and it’s easy to see why. 

The AFL makes up $40 million a year in product fees from bookmakers, the NRL makes nearly $50 Million. 

Of course, the revenue the AFL gains from gambling companies, if put to good use, is not hugely part of the problem. However, when the AFL is dealing with uncertainty regarding their place in mental health discourse, it's important for them to address the issues of gambling, and their relationship with it.

Ultimately, the AFL will continue to make claims about its ongoing support for mental health, and it's likely that there will be a round dedicated to mental health in the coming seasons. 

What is uncertain though is whether the AFL’s public stance on this will go further than a ‘mental health round', so they take a stand against personalities and companies within their own ranks. 

If you, or anyone else you know is struggling, please call:

• Lifeline on 13 11 14

• Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800

• MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978

• Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467

• Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36

• Headspace on 1800 650 890

• QLife on 1800 184 527