THE NUMBER of past AFL players seeking help to treat substance abuse through the AFL Players' Association has increased as ex-players become more aware of the support service available.
However, rather than being alarmed at the increase, the AFLPA is understood to be pleased that its revamped process for helping former players experiencing hardship has led to more players seeking support across a range of areas from injuries to mental wellbeing.
The AFL Players' Trust was launched in November 2013 to help alumni members access financial or medical assistance if it was needed.
It built on existing mechanisms of support and is a more extensive benefit of financial assistance for past players who suffer significant temporary or long-term hardship.
The service was upgraded to help former players, who were not able to access workers compensation benefits, except in limited circumstances.
The AFLPA also underwent a concerted drive to encourage ex-players to become alumni members and to come forward if they needed help.
Past players who are eligible for assistance through the Geoff Pryor Hardship Fund can access up to $5,000 for short-term support with more sustained assistance possible in certain cases.
Players aren't paid the money directly but are pointed to appropriate support services and their identities remain confidential.
While the exact number of former players seeking support to address substance abuse remains confidential, 118 alumni members have received grants totaling $440,000 since 2007, according to the AFLPA's website.
The AFLPA recently provided support to former Melbourne defender Steven Febey after his former skipper David Neitz directed him to the AFLPA to deal with problems related to drug use.
Febey told AFLPA.com.au that he was able to address some issues with the help of an AFLPA caseworker.
"Paying my health insurance, bills, parking fines, credit card debts. To me at the time all of that seemed so overwhelming," he said.
The increase comes as debate around the effectiveness of the AFL's new Illicit Drugs Policy introduced at the end of last year reached fever pitch this week.
Many have called for stricter provisions within contracts to ensure that players face immediate sanctions if they test positive to an illicit drug.
Clubs have also expressed concerns that they suffer if a player unwittingly ingests a banned substance while taking an illicit drug and are suspended under the WADA code, as is the case for Collingwood pair Lachie Keeffe and Josh Thomas.
AFL.com.au understands there is concern from players that many of the clubs still make little investment into prevention programs despite some complaints about the policy.
When defending the new IDP in an article on the AFLPA's website on Thursday, Fremantle skipper and AFLPA president Matthew Pavlich said he wanted a system that supported people to make better decisions while playing and be less vulnerable to problems once they left the game.
"As an industry, we owe it to young footballers to ensure they leave the game as better people than when they walked in. This includes teaching them how to make good decisions," Pavlich said.
"If we don't do this and take a zero-tolerance approach, then I can guarantee the problem will be a much bigger one when they eventually leave the game."
