Mental health is always a big talking point in the AFL and unfortunately over the offseason we reached new heights.
In December 2018, North Melbourne’s Majak Daw was rescued from the Yarra River after he fell from the Bolte Bridge.
While we don’t know the specifics of Daw’s situation, and don’t need to, it’s understood he has been battling with mental health difficulties.
The news sent shockwaves through the AFL community, which rushed to support the 28-year-old and has been by his side through every step of his physical and mental recovery.
The next was St Kilda’s Jack Steven.
The four-time Trevor Barker Medallist last month announced he would step away from the game temporarily to address his mental health.
The support for Steven was incredible and the AFL world only wished him a speedy recovery, as they did with Daw.
In the days leading up to the season opener, he returned to Seaford, which was widely celebrated across the league.
Finally came Dustin Martin.
In a tell-all interview with The Age’s Executive Style magazine, Martin opened up about the depression he experienced last season on the back of what was sheer ecstasy in 2017.
He too was met with nothing but praise.
The way the AFL world comes together to support our players in need should be applauded.
But as supportive as we are – are we also partially to blame?
Robbie Gray thinks so.
The internet gives everyone the power to say what they like, and to whoever they like.
We may be the first to support our players but at the same time, we are often the first to slander them.
Like we’ve done with Jesse Hogan.
Freo’s star recruit missed Round 1 and we don’t know when he’ll make his Docker debut.
We know Hogan’s absence is partially due to breaking team alcohol rules, but what we don’t know is the series of thoughts and events that lead to this moment.
From the statement made by Peter Bell, it’s evident that Hogan’s mental health played a significant role.
“Jesse will not be available for selection for Sunday’s game against North Melbourne at Optus Stadium while he focuses on his personal management of anxiety,” Bell said.
“The club has been aware of Jesse’s anxiety and has wrapped the appropriate support measures around him and will continue to do so.
It’s not like there are no possible explanations for why Hogan could be struggling.
In April 2017, he lost his father Tony following a long battle with cancer. Just three weeks later, Jesse himself was diagnosed with a form of testicular cancer.
These events played out almost two years ago, but you can never truly know how they have affected someone. Grief has no timeline.
The 24-year-old has endured more in the last two years than many will in their lifetimes.
Can someone tell me what difference is between his mental demons and those of Daw, Steven and Martin?
(Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
Without the ‘fame and glory’ AFL players are simply just people.
We are constantly encouraging footballers to use their platform to speak out about their mental health battles. It’s amazing how the public responses vary.
What makes Hogan’s situation different from the rest? By his way of expression?
Maybe he knows no other way.
And if you think the men are treated badly, you cannot even imagine what’s going on with the women.
Within 48 hours of the AFLW home and away season ending, retiring Collingwood player (and Commonwealth Games medallist, and former Olympian) Cecilia McIntosh was haunted by trolls in ‘hysterics’ over her eight game AFLW career.
Ironically, one of the trolls who captured public attention was Josh Mellington, who played six games for Fremantle before being delisted.
Trolls then turned their attention to Carlton’s Tayla Harris.
Channel 7’s AFL account made the decision to delete this photo due to overwhelming negativity:
The backlash to AFL7’s decision was brutal and rightfully so and the AFL world responded by resharing the image en masse. The photo has also since been re-uploaded and shared on the 7AFL account.
What can you even say, other than it’s pretty damn appalling from some people but sensational support from the rest.
It’s fantastic to see widespread social media support for the likes of Daw and Dusty, but then it’s often the same people who contribute to a barrage of abuse in the direction of Hogan or Harris.
It’s not everyone – but it’s enough to make significant impact.
We shouldn’t pick and choose when to stand with someone and when to work against them.
Much of the internet is a positive space, but it’s always the negativity, abuse and trolling that sticks out in our minds.
The problem? The public have a lot of control and aren’t educated enough to use their powers properly.
As the 2019 season gets underway, I urge you to take the time to think about what you comment and tweet. Share your opinions and support your club but without the abuse.
You’ve got no idea what any stranger on the internet or any footballer or any media personality is genuinely going through, just as they know nothing about you either.
Choose your words wisely and make comments respectfully and tastefully.
There’s room for everyone in the AFL but there is absolutely no room or reason for abuse.
Seymorebutts
Roar Rookie
''....but then it’s often the same people who contribute to a barrage of abuse in the direction of Hogan or Harris.'' So now you have to; a) show the evidence that backs up your claim, or b.) withdraw it in a subsequent article. I do not believe anyone for a second who is sympathetic for Majak Daw, will be less so for one of the female players.... so , feel free to prove me wrong.
Fat Toad
Roar Rookie
Ironically, Mellington's trolling may, at its root have mental health issues. I can imagine that the process of being delisted must challenge the very self image of any player. Even players that have moderate to long careers, and who have been able to prepare for life after footy admit to finding the change pretty hard. Without knowing more about Mellington, I find it hard to give him my ire rather than my sympathy.
dontknowmuchaboutfootball
Guest
Nailed it.
Daz
Roar Pro
Unfortunately, it seems it's a case of who rather that what. If it is a player we (as a football community) have freely maligned in the past, then we feel free to continue to do so and don't accept the reasons given. Some of the comments here demonstrate this. We question the timing, the background, the players past, or look for reasons to discredit them. This judgement is usually based on whether they are players we're supposed to idolise or not. Same story, different players.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
So dishonest as usual. – The opening line of Peter Bell’s press conference: “Jesse Hogan will not be available for selection for Sunday’s game against North Melbourne at Optus Stadium, while he focuses on his personal management of his clinical anxiety. The club has been aware of Jesse’s clinical anxiety…” – And what? “alcohol parties”? I think you’ve been “running amok” at one too many sock puppet parties.
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
Club statements ???? i am citing live TV statements seen by all. You obviously do not watch television, or are in denial and are living in a dream world hiding from the truth. Your like the club, full of excuses.
Supportive
Guest
Those that suffer from mental health illnesses fall into 3 categories. 1. Those that don't fully comprehend what is going on, least of all a mental health illness and choose a variety of methods to deal with their situation. 2. Those that do understand something is wrong, haven't been diagnosed but due to society's generally poor attitude toward those that do suffer mental illness will not seek professional help for fear of the stigma attached. And deal with it the best way they can 3. Those that have the support surrounding them giving them the strength to get professional help, start the road to recovery and accept their condition. And still deal with it the best way they can. Don't ridicule, Be supportive no matter what. Because they are mostly just trying to get through the day.
dontknowmuchaboutfootball
Guest
The first thing I saw on the issue was this club statement posted at 6:21pm March 18: https://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/2019-03-18/club-statement If you can identify something from the club earlier than that, please do so. Bell held a press conference at around the same time, where he read the statement. He lead with Hogan being unavailable while he manages his "clinical anxiety" (the published club statement was subsequently edited to remove the "clinical" after several health professionals were sourced by journos attesting that "clinical anxiety" is not a professionally accepted term for diagnosis). Video of Bell's conference accompanies a story on Alcock's own statement published the next day: https://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/2019-03-19/club-statement-dale-alcock Alcock's statement is also focused on Hogan's anxiety, not the drinking. Lyon spoke to Channel 7 on March 20, where he began by correcting Zempilas's claim that Hogan was suspending for drinking, and said that he was being given time to address his anxiety: https://www.fremantlefc.com.au/video/2019-03-20/ross-back-on-seven-news I don't know if Lyon spoke to the media before then, but feel free to point me to any video, audio or transcripts. The upshot: in no way did Bell, Lyon and Alcock face the cameras on TV with different versions. Whether Peter Bell's "good mate" Karl Langdon told anyone at the club anything is completely irrelevant to the question of whether the club "changed the story" or its various representatives relayed different accounts. To my knowledge, the only aspect of the story that has been changed by the club was the use of the term "clinical anxiety". Happy to have that knowledge corrected by anyone who can cite actual evidence (as opposed to rumours, prejudices, suspicions, or heart-felt beliefs otherwise).
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
You cannot blame the media on this one, Bell, Lyon and Allcock faced the cameras on TV with different versions. Karl Langdon also faced the camera's to say he told his good friend Bell and Rosich the issues and pictures of Jessie's ongoing alcohol problems. There is no gossip or rumours here by the so-called sports journalists.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Probably because they felt it was better to explain the mental health issues than to dress it all up as a discipline problem. Presumably they consulted with Hogan before doing so, although it's weird that not everyone at the club was on the same page.
Grints
Roar Rookie
Good write up Marnie - most of us have no idea of the level of abuse directed towards players through social media. In the old days a player might cop it all day from the otherside of a fence then go home and forget it happened. Today - they can cop it every minute of every day... whilst trying to do the rite thing and be accessible to their fans thru mediums such as twitter and facebook. I dont think anybody is guilt free of trolling even if its not nessesarily deliberate. It even happens on here just in the comments section of most articles and opinion peices - its happened to me and ive done it to others... its just too easy to bang out a few words and hit "add comment" without thinking if the comment is nasty, unessesarily provocative or even needs to be made... but we cop it and dish it out here under the guise of anonymity. And because of that we cant then troll each other on social media... its over pretty quick. If for example Jack Darling has a shocker in a GF as he did a few years ago we can get stuck into him all day every day for the rest of summer. Someone wants to troll me on here because i make a stupid or ill informed comment it ends here. They dont know my name therefore cant track me down and continue the abuse. Having said that i think some players need to be careful about claiming they have a mental illness too. Whilst I would never doubt anyone claiming to be depressed or have anxiety - there is a BIG difference between being depressed and suffering from depression, just as there is a big difference between being anxious and suffering from anxiety. I sometimes do wonder if due to the amount of players suffering from these illnesses if we arnt being too quick to diagnose a genuine problem that might not actually be there... just as happens in broader society.
dontknowmuchaboutfootball
Guest
"the story" — whose story? So far as I'm aware, the club's very first media comment on the issue was an announcement of Hogan's "clinical anxiety" leading to "poor choices" around drinking. The use of the phrase "clinical anxiety" in itself reflects a "poor choice" on the part of the club, one that ultimately is destined to fan the flames of suspicion, but that's a slightly separate matter to the idea that the club changed its story. If there was already a story about alcohol breaches before the club announcement, that story was one generated by the media, not any club statement. If we're going to start throwing around suspicions, then perhaps we can start with treating as suspect *any* "news story" about an AFL player or club that does not include on-the-record comment from the club or player involved. Among all the other factors at play in the issues Marnie has discussed here is the tendency for the vast majority of AFL news audiences to take as the gospel truth any and every piece of gossip and rumour that gets taken up and reported as "news" by the country's so-called sports journalists.
Grints
Roar Rookie
Cost wouldnt even come into it for an AFL player - i may be wrong but im pretty sure all clubs have psychologists, counselors and or therapists on their books these days that players have access to... the general public are a different story. To seek help via medicare is an exhaustive process that will help to an extent but if your not "cured" in a few short sessions you need to go back through the system or seek private help... its really no suprise so many people are on legitimate medication for depression and anxiety - its easier for a prescription to be written than it is to get to the root cause of the issue.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Less embarrassing to be drinking under the guise of "being with mates" rather than admitting you're seeing a shrink.
Cat
Roar Guru
Why come out with it at all then in Hogans case? The story was that it was an alcohol breach, then later changed to mental health. Seems highly possible that the story changed for PR reasons. It could also be true but the circumstances make questioning the story valid.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Bingo.
Aransan
Roar Rookie
That is very true.
Aransan
Roar Rookie
Grints, cost shouldn't be a factor for highly paid footballers. The greater cost will occur through doing nothing.
JamesH
Roar Guru
There's obviously no way for us punters to know how much of it is mental health and how much is just partying. In saying that, surely it's pretty standard for a club not to broadcast someone's mental health battles unless they need to? I'm sure some at St Kilda were aware of Steven's issues well before they were made public due to his intention to take a break. I don't think the timing of Freo's announcement re Hogan's issues is, in itself, indicative of anything. Whether they are lying or not, it's the logical point for them to make the revelation.
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
Jack Steven took time out, handled it well. Freo have allowed Jessie to run amok at alcohol parties since October obvious to all..... and Freo have failed to deal with it. Then Bell say's he is being stood for alcohol abuse.....Then Lyon say's no it is not the case, the doctor told me it is because of anxiety.....Then Allcock comes out with something different again. The club needs to get there act together.