St Kilda are set to honour club legend Danny Frawley in the club's annual 'Spud's Game' on Friday night against Essendon, encouraging a frank and honest conversation about mental health in the football community.
Spud's Game ambassador Matthew Richardson appeared on the Unpluggered Podcast during the week to talk about the match and the Saints great, who he played against and played for during Frawley's time as Richmond coach.
In an honest and raw conversation, Richardson opened up on his relationship with the great Saint, praising his approach to destigmatizing emotions within the four walls of a football club.
"I reckon he was ahead of his time with that," Richardson told Unpluggered.
"When I came into the game in the early 90's, 1993 was my first year, it was a sort of one size fits all approach and it sort of knocked people down.
"You know only the tough guys survived sort of thing and you know it was pretty macho sort of alpha male environment but Danny was one of the first, probably the first coach, that I had that showed his emotions and encouraged you to open up and be a bit vulnerable, and you know if you're feeling a bit down don't be afraid to express that and then if you're feeling good express that as well."
Richardson also reflected on Frawley's work as a mental health advocate.
"I'd bump into him on Sunday arvo's in the media boxes and always walk away with a smile on my face," he said.
"There were probably times where Danny wasn't feeling that good in those conversations, he still made you feel good.
"To get people to talk about their issues and face their problems and be open about them and and be able to talk about them, I think it's very important the work that he did."
St Kilda's prime-time clash against Essendon will be the second iteration of the 'Spud's Game' fixture, with the club teaming up with Movember to raise crucial funds for mental health support.
Richardson said the match was a great opportunity for footy fans to have honest conversations with their mates on the topic of mental health.
"I think it's an opportunity for footy clubs and football in general and the community that we're involved in.
"It's an environment where you can get together and be open and talk.
"I think that's what footy does, it brings people together."
Richardson will be joined as an ambassador by Nathan Burke, Nova Peris, Tom Boyd, Max King and AFLW Saint, Olivia Vesely.