Australian captain Cameron Smith and fellow Test stars Johnathan Thurston, Nate Myles and Darius Boyd have thrown their support behind a campaign to introduce compulsory fortnightly counselling in the NRL following the suicide of six players in the past two years.
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Smith, Thurston, Myles and Boyd showed their backing for the online petition calling for the NRL to introduce the counselling for players in all elite competitions by posing for photos with signs carrying the slogan "it's time to speak" while in the Queensland Origin camp this week.
The petition was launched by Kelly Brooks, the daughter of former Balmain and NSW second-rower David Brooks and partner of ex-Canterbury and Canberra forward Jake Foster, after the death of Foster's Brisbane Easts teammate Grant Giess earlier this month.
Giess, who had a brief stint with Melbourne, was the sixth player to die since the code lost Wests Tigers prop Mosese Fotuaika in February 2013 and the fourth this year following the deaths of Cowboys pair Regan Grieve and Francis Winterstein and Storm junior Hayden Butler, who was playing for the Mackay Cutters. North Queensland's Alex Elisala passed away in 2013.
Grieve's mother Angela and Butler's mother Roberta are also backing the petition and are among more than 3000 people to sign so far.
Brooks said Smith, Thurston, Myles and Boyd had sent the photos in support of her petition after Wednesday night's Origin match at the MCG.
"This is incredibly exciting as it demonstrates how needed compulsory counselling is - if NRL stars themselves are backing it," she said. "We cannot have another young athlete lost to a preventable cause."
Brooks believes that compulsory mental health checks are needed to break a perception among NRL players that seeking psychological help was a sign of weakness.
"I was sick to the stomach the other night thinking about all the lives we're losing in our game, so I started this change.org petition. It's got to stop," she said.
"We've seen six young NRL guys take their own lives in under two years. That's six too many. For their families, for our extended NRL family - something needs to change.
"Until compulsory counselling, that matches the physical check-ups after matches, is introduced we'll never break the 'seeking help is weak' idea."
Burleigh Bears player Casey Lyons, the founder of LIVIN charity, has also backed the petition.
"Being a footballer myself I understand the highs, lows and enormous pressure that comes with chasing the dream to be at the highest level," he said.
"Kelly's change.org petition is so important because the dangerous stigma around mental health still exists in our game. If it were compulsory to have regular counselling it would be normalised, allowing those who are struggling to be helped in confidence."
❏ Support is available for anyone who may be distressed by phoning Lifeline 13 11 14; Mensline 1300 789 978; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800.
