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The Western Bulldogs will give Lachie Hunter as much time away from the AFL club as he needs to deal with ongoing mental health challenges.
But Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has dismissed any fears the premiership winger may be lost to the AFL completely.
The former Bulldogs vice-captain previously missed four games in July and August of 2020 due to personal reasons.
Beveridge alluded to Hunter’s battles during a now-infamous press conference exchange with former Fox Footy reporter Tom Morris after the Bulldogs’ round-one loss this season.
Hunter, 27, has played all five games this season and 168 in total for the Bulldogs since his debut in 2013.
“I don’t have that concern,” Beveridge said on Wednesday when asked if he was worried about Hunter not returning to the club.
“I believe Lachie is going to be OK and we’ll have him back before the end of the year.
“Over the journey Lachie’s had a challenge here and there.
“The thing about ‘Hunts’ is every time he turns up to play he gives his absolute all, and in recent times it’s got on top of him a little bit.
“He’s OK but he knows in the immediate future he’s got to work through a few things.
“Whether it’s a month, two months or whatever it may be, we’ll have him back and hopefully he’s able to play some footy before the end of the year.”
The Bulldogs have been able to support a number of players, including Bailey Smith and retired premiership hero Tom Boyd, work through personal issues in recent times.
But Beveridge is concerned by the slashing of the AFL’s soft cap since the COVID-19 pandemic and what that is doing to clubs and their ability to help struggling players.
He did admit the AFL, and society in general, has come a long way in accepting players who are battling with their mental health.
“I think now we understand the challenges that individuals are facing in the industry and the public exposure and their public life and we’re able to help them more,” Beveridge said.
“This is where I take my hat off to a large contingent of our playing group because they’ve been through some of this before with some of their other teammates.
“When an individual who has some hurdles to jump in their life, and we’re a player down in the club, it puts added responsibility onto others.
“My role, and people who work in supportive roles within the football club, have to make sure everyone else is okay and that’s where it becomes emotional.”
Bombers legend Tim Watson says Essendon should consider throwing a “juicy contract” at controversial Collingwood star Jordan De Goey.
Watson on SEN Radio on Wednesday morning said De Goey would help send Bombers young gun Jake Stringer even higher into the stratosphere.
“I said this last year so I’m not Johnny Come Lately here – he is the most important player at Essendon, Jake Stringer, the most important player, because he does things that nobody else on their list can possibly do,” Watson told SEN Breakfast.
“And to that end, I just wonder how hard Essendon might go and the interest levels they may have for somebody like a Jordan De Goey.”
“I’m just saying that it increases the interest doesn’t it, when you look at your playing list and you’ve got somebody like a Stringer that can do what he can do.
“Then you’ve got somebody like Jordan De Goey out there that possibly you could recruit with the right level of money, do you try and throw a nice juicy contract his way just to try and entice him?”
De Goey and the Magpies have been in discussions about a multimillion-dollar contract extension and the 26-year-old has been in fine form recently.
He is rebuilding his image after assault and harassment charges in the US threatened to derail his career.
Cyril Rioli (Photo by Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty Images)
Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett has claimed he is in text message dialogue with Cyril Rioli about mending the fractured relationship between the former Hawks star and the club.
The controversial former Victorian premier told the Herald Sun that he has not met Rioli and his wife Shannyn Ah Sam-Rioli face to face since they made allegations of widespread racist behaviour when he was playing at the club.
“I’ve sent Cyril many, many text messages over recent times,’’ Kennett said. “He sent me one in January first, wanting to talk, and I have not been back here in Darwin since to do that.
“Then there were the articles in the paper and I’ve tried to contact him since. We connected Monday briefly and I’m hoping that might lead to a better flow of communications.”
Rioli, a four-time premiership winner, retired prematurely in 2018, and one of the claims he has made involved Kennett offering loose change to his wife to sew up her ripped designer jeans.
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