Traumatic off-season almost finished my career

Interesting article. Told his former coach Brenton Toy that he wasn't going back to Melbourne and it took some of his teammates to convince him to come back.

He's happy to be back playing footy, though. Good to hear.

Love the kid, he's one of my absolute favorties at the club. Would be such a shame/waste of talent if he hung up the boots so prematurely. Hope he can do his old man proud for our great club and have a long, illustrious career.

Good to read about his mates at the club and all the leaders getting behind him and supporting him and his family in such a tough time. One thing that stood out was this : "When dad died the club gave me three weeks away, and I rang a mate of mine (former St Mary's coach) Brenton Toy and said, "I am not going back to Melbourne. I am going to stay here.

"But my mates said, 'You can't stay here. You have the Melbourne footy club and they love you - and it's not what your dad would want'.

"That was in the back of my mind.

"Aaron kept ringing me saying, 'We love you and want you back'."

It's true, we love you Aussie!

So glad for Aussie, that he made the call to stay, that he's made it back to the side, that he's kicked some goals and tasted some of the success that he had missed for so long. It must have been so hard for him to come through that time, one because of what happened, and two because of the feeling that when it did happen, he was so far away. I for one, feel so happy and proud of the strength he has shown, and can't imagine how happy and proud his family and community would feel. Stay strong champ, we are all cheering for you.