Warrnambool and District Football Netball League powerhouse Merrivale is facing an opponent of a different nature.
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As the premiership contender gears up for its first match of the new season on Friday, its biggest challenge is off the field.
The Tigers were rocked during the off-season with the deaths of two players, Seamus Blake and Joshua Lenehan, who took their own lives four months apart.
The pair will be commemorated, not celebrated, as part of an ongoing campaign to help those with mental health issues.
Club coach Karl Dwyer and president John Pulling are determined to make a difference tackling the sensitive subject of suicide prevention.
“As a club we’re doing everything we can to prevent something like this from happening again,” he said.
“There’s no book that tells you how to cope or what to do.
“It’s an unknown area. We had to offer something.”
Mr Pulling said the deaths had come out of nowhere.
“We reacted quickly with a counselling session the next day,” he said.
“The idea of that was to give a place for people to go to. It was a chance for anyone involved to come and talk in a family environment.”
A South West Healthcare counsellor and Headspace representatives attended the club’s session to assist in providing a starting step for those affected and avenues for them to follow.
“It was a tough one but (the counsellor) really opened up what depression is and what a horrible beast it can be,” Mr Pulling said.
“Since then we’ve had guys put their hand up and say ‘hey we’re dealing with something here’ and we can now direct them back to the channels we’ve talked about.”
Mr Pulling and Mr Dwyer said they would continue to offer little things that would hopefully break the ice.
A new buddy system will encourage members to contact each other and keep channels open among mates.
“And this is the key,” Mr Dwyer said.
“Showing that it’s OK to express yourself and to seek help if you need it.”
As the Tigers face Old Collegians in the Good Friday season-opener they take to the field a new understanding of a rival that can sometimes be hidden.
Mr Pulling said even though the Tigers were moving forward, they didn’t have all the answers.
“The football club isn’t the cure,” he said.
“It’s a channel and it’s something we have to keep addressing this year and beyond.”
