Men’s Mental Health Week endeavours to eradicate stigma surrounding male mental issues, while also attempting to normalise conversation around the subject.  

The topic has taken off in the AFL through open discussion, with one in five players currently experiencing mental health issues at a level that warrants treatment by a medical professional.

The problem is one in 10 players said they would not seek help from anyone.

Versatile Eagles’ forward Oscar Allen explained the importance of Men’s Mental Health Week in opening up dialogue, and the significance a ‘tight-knit’ playing group can make on one’s mental health.

“Yeah it’s really important, probably over the past five to 10 years men’s mental health has become really prevalent in society, it’s something openly talked about now which is great,” Allen told westcoasteagles.com.au.

“As footballers, we’re often subdued to really stressful situations and you have to think about how you can cope with these problems that are thrown up in the world, so it’s something the club really cares about, as do the players."

Allen credits both the staff and players in enabling conversation, while also understanding individual problems and attempting to combat them as a team.

“Just having an open conversation with each other, we’re a pretty tight-knit group who can tell each other whatever we’re going through, which is probably the biggest thing that we do as a playing group,” Allen said.

“The club has a lot of support mechanisms to help us, at the club we have some psychologists which a lot of players do a lot of work with, and we do a lot of mindfulness and meditating, just to keep us in the present.

“Not allowing our minds to get too far in the future.”

The 22-year-old also paying homage to former Collingwood premiership player, and Brisbane captain, Dayne Beams.

Beams was the one of the first footballers to openly discuss his mental health, and the methods he undertook to assist with those issues.

“Dayne Beams was probably the first player to come out and really openly discuss the things he was going through, and I think in the last few years it’s become more normalised and people are happy to discuss it,” Allen said.

“I think that’s why this week is so important, it opens conversation, it’s great, a lot of people go through mental health problems and where they’re not sure what outlet to go to.

“Now it’s so accessible for anyone to speak their mind, talk about whatever they want to talk about, and it’s becoming so much more accepted in society which is great.”