The AFL community, and in particular the Dawson family, have had a tragic week after the passing of Adelaide captain Jordan Dawson's brother, Jaryd.
The topic of mental health was then once again thrust to the forefront of conversation when Carlton's Elijah Hollands suffered from a medical episode during the Carlton-Collingwood clash at the MCG on Thursday.
Speaking after Geelong's victory over Western Bulldogs on Friday night, Cats superstar Bailey Smith said on Seven's broadcast he hopes the AFL includes a mental health round in future seasons.
"There's one thing I want to touch on, which is maybe out of pocket, but I just want to shout out the Dawson family this week and Elijah Hollands last night," he said.
"I don't know if I am out of pocket saying it, but it's about time the AFL get a men's mental health round.
"It just makes me feel sick during the week, and hopefully the AFL community can wrap our arms around them and do something.
"I think it's just human nature to rally around. I think the footy world can be quite toxic at times. It is good at putting our arms around the people that need it most when we need to, I think we do both.
"It's just stuff we don't like seeing. If there's something I can leave everyone with, it's just speak to your mates and put your arm around your loved ones, you never know who might need it."
Smith has consistently been a strong advocate for mental health and spoke in 2025 about how he had spent time in a psych ward and had battled his own issues with it.
The topic of mental health, and in particular men's mental health, has been a poignant one in recent years, both in the AFL world and in broader society.
According to Black Dog Institute, more than 3,200 Australians took their own life in 2022, with 75 per cent being male.
Men's mental health is also a pressing issue in the AFL as the league looks to limit concussions, which can lead to decreased mental health, as much as it can.
Every year, it seems a common tragic theme that former footballers pass away after battling with their mental health. Perhaps Smith's calls for a designated round to raise awareness and encourage men to talk and open up to someone would be a step in the right direction.
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