Call for Mental Health Round

Australian Football news and discussion.
Post Reply
User avatar
Beaussie
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 9890
Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 6:38 pm
Team: Sydney Swans
Location: Sydney
Has thanked: 231 times
Been liked: 51 times

Call for Mental Health Round

Post by Beaussie »

A worthy cause for a themed round I reckon. Thoughts?
Former North Melbourne champion Wayne Schwass calls for mental health round
Date February 25, 2014
Rohan Connolly
Senior AFL writer for The Age

Former North Melbourne champion Wayne Schwass has called on the AFL to make the issue of mental health an immediate priority with the introduction of a themed round to the AFL fixture.

Schwass, 45, who battled depression during his 15-year, 282-game league career with North Melbourne and Sydney, has worked extensively in the area of mental health since he went public about his struggle in 2006.

He said on Monday that he had been moved to speak out again to help raise public consciousness after the death last weekend of TV personality Charlotte Dawson. And he said the AFL could help play a leading role in the fight to prevent suicide.

"I just think there's a need there and a real opportunity as the No.1 sporting body in Australia for us to actually put mental health on the agenda," Schwass said. "Not only within our code, given some of the pressures associated with playing and coaching and administering a hugely popular sport, but to show the Australian population that we're doing something to recognise the impact mental illness has on people not only following our game, but right around the country.

"The AFL does a great job in educating people through a number of great and worthy dedicated rounds, but for some reason, to this point we still don't have a dedicated mental health round. I think there's a massive opportunity for the game to tackle the issue in a positive sense."

Schwass said it was tragic that it took events like Dawson's death to bring issues such as depression to the forefront of public consciousness. "I didn't know Charlotte, but it's terribly sad that someone feels that's the only choice they have left. And, to put it into context, we lose more people to suicide than we do on the roads. We have this graphic and confronting road safety campaign, for which governments deserve to be applauded, but it beggars belief in my view that we don't direct as much attention to an issue that is taking far too many people. At some stage, somewhere along the line, it's going to take [sporting] codes and industry leaders and politicians to understand that this is a very real issue.''

Some mental health professionals and experts believe the AFL has been slow to endorse such campaigning, while embracing other worthwhile causes. One source said the league had been approached to get behind such an initiative as long as seven years ago.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/f ... z2uGXGh24U
User avatar
NRLCrap1
Coach
Coach
Posts: 3174
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 1:46 pm
Team: MYOB
Location:
Has thanked: 0
Been liked: 0

Re: Call for Mental Health Round

Post by NRLCrap1 »

Hot social topic right now after what happened with Charlotte Dawson.
DON'T MAKE ANY BETS WITH ELIAGH!! HE WELCHES WHEN HE LOSES!!
DAVE'S RIVER IN EGYPT - JUNIOR ACT TEAMS: AFL 109 RL 107
CHEWBACCA IS A GOOSE! A GOOSE I TELL YOU! A GOOSE!
TLPG
Coach
Coach
Posts: 3478
Joined: Wed May 09, 2007 9:15 pm
Team: MYOB
Location: MYOB
Has thanked: 18 times
Been liked: 8 times

Re: Call for Mental Health Round

Post by TLPG »

I think it should go wider than depression. It's an important issue, but mental health isn't just about that. It's about a lot of other things as well.
THIS FORUM IS RACIST
Swans4ever
Coach
Coach
Posts: 5942
Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2013 8:52 pm
Team: Sydney Swans
Location:
Has thanked: 0
Been liked: 0

Re: Call for Mental Health Round

Post by Swans4ever »

IMO I don't think a round should be dedicated to it - it just means another pointless cup - would rather see a foundation like the McGrath foundation and a season long initiative - maybe an award for the best defender in the comp - someone who does it hard all season without much recognition but invaluable for any team!
LARGEST MEMBERSHIP, LARGEST PROFIT, LARGEST HOME CROWD AVERAGE - THE BIGGEST CLUB IN SYDNEY - THE SYDNEY SWANS
User avatar
NRLCrap1
Coach
Coach
Posts: 3174
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 1:46 pm
Team: MYOB
Location:
Has thanked: 0
Been liked: 0

Re: Call for Mental Health Round

Post by NRLCrap1 »

Sub for the Golden Fist? Okay okay I'm gagging!
DON'T MAKE ANY BETS WITH ELIAGH!! HE WELCHES WHEN HE LOSES!!
DAVE'S RIVER IN EGYPT - JUNIOR ACT TEAMS: AFL 109 RL 107
CHEWBACCA IS A GOOSE! A GOOSE I TELL YOU! A GOOSE!
Cracker
Coach
Coach
Posts: 1217
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2014 4:56 pm
Team: Bulldogs
Location:
Has thanked: 0
Been liked: 0

Re: Call for Mental Health Round

Post by Cracker »

I should hope you are, NRLCrap1! That was somewhat insensitive to say the least.

I agree with Swans4ever. It should be an ongoing theme.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Ahrefs [Bot] and 8 guests