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Danny Frawley Community launches next chapter at Gather Round, bringing community sport and mental health research together
Danny Frawley Community today officially launched as part of Black Dog Institute, marking a significant next chapter in the legacy of Danny ‘Spud’ Frawley and a major step forward in prevention‑focused mental fitness through community sport.
The announcement was made at the Mental Health and Wellbeing Gathering at Gather Round, co‑hosted by the AFL and Danny Frawley Community part of Black Dog Institute, bringing together sporting leaders, mental health experts, researchers and lived‑experience voices from across the country.
The event included opening remarks from Special Envoy for Men's Health and Federal Member for Hunter Dan Repacholi MP, South Australia Minister for Health and Wellbeing Blair Boyer in attendance, alongside strong support from the AFL, including CEO Andrew Dillion and Head of Mental Health and Wellbeing Dr Kate Hall.
Today’s announcement formally establishes Danny Frawley Community as part of Black Dog Institute, combining the power of community sport with world leading mental health research to help more Australians build the mental fitness they need to thrive.
Born from a lasting legacy and grounded in community sport, Danny Frawley Community was created to honour Danny Frawley’s deep belief in the power of sport to bring people together, build connection and strengthen mental fitness.
The organisation’s foundation was made possible through its longstanding partnership with St Kilda Football Club, which helped turn a shared vision into a lasting community legacy.
Launching a new evidence‑based prevention program
As part of this next phase, Danny Frawley Community is also announcing a new Mental Fitness and Wellbeing Program, designed to strengthen social connection and the skills that support good mental health through research and evidence-based initiatives delivered in community settings such as sporting clubs.
The program reflects a growing evidence base showing that prevention, early intervention and social connection are critical to improving mental health outcomes, and that community sport is a uniquely powerful setting to deliver this support.
It brings together the community engagement expertise of the Danny Frawley Community with the deep research capability of Black Dog Institute, and will incorporate culturally appropriate approaches, including alignment with Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) principles to support First Nations communities.
Organised sports clubs provide social wellbeing benefits significantly greater than individual physical activity alone, driven by shared purpose, belonging and connection[1]. Evidence shows that participation in both team and individual sports supports mental health, with team sports having the most amount of benefit[2].
This is reinforced by new insights from Black Dog Institute’s Future Proofing Study, which found connection and a sense of belonging as some of the strongest protective factors for mental health, particularly for young people[3].
Future Proofing researchers are continuing to examine team sport participation, particularly among girls, and the impact this participation can have on mental health and wellbeing over time.
Building mentally healthier communities through sport
Community sport sits at the heart of local communities — bringing together players, coaches, volunteers, families and supporters. These trusted, familiar environments are deeply connected to identity and belonging, making them ideal places to build mental fitness and wellbeing.
By embedding mental fitness into the sporting experience, Danny Frawley Community aims to meet people where they already connect, providing practical tools and support in settings people know and trust, not just in classrooms or clinical environments.
This approach recognises that many people, particularly young people, feel more comfortable opening up in community spaces where they experience a strong sense of belonging, shared purpose and connection.
Quotes attributable to Professor Sam Harvey, Chief Scientist and Executive Director at Black Dog Institute:
“Black Dog Institute exists to bring about better mental health for all Australians through the power of applied research. Through the Danny Frawley Community, Black Dog Institute will be able to better reach and help people where they are. By deepening our focus on prevention, alongside early intervention, we know we can address mental health problems before they escalate and build stronger, more mentally fit communities across Australia.”
Quotes attributable to Chelsea Frawley, Head of Danny Frawley Community at Black Dog Institute:
“When we harness sport as a vehicle for prevention, we don’t just support individuals; we lift communities. We are so proud of this next chapter in Dad’s legacy, giving us the ability through Black Dog Institute to turn the everyday moments of sport into opportunities to build belonging and mental fitness and wellbeing alongside our longstanding supporters; St Kilda Football Club and the AFL.”
Quotes attributable to Associate Professor Clinton Schultz, Head of First Nations Strategy at Black Dog Institute:
Quotes attributable to retired AFLW Player Erin Phillips OAM:
"For me, football was an avenue for connection. I was a young girl who loved the game, it was my happy place, and it was so important to have that connection through footy as I was growing up.
"I recently watched my daughter find connection through her new footy club, the Burleigh Bombers, after we moved from Adelaide to the Gold Coast. Experiencing that as a parent reinforces what I experienced myself as a player, that this is what football and connection is all about.
"My message to the community, whether it be elite teams, junior teams or just people I meet in the street, is that you need to treat your mental health like you would treat a 2km time trial.
"You need to acknowledge it and put the time and effort into it the same way that you do for your training, because it's just as important, if not more important.
"We as a society tend to leave it behind and only pay attention when it gets bad, but it needs to be at the forefront of everything that we do."
Quotes attributable to Federal Member for Hunter Dan Repacholi:
“Sport has a unique ability to bring people together and that connection can be a powerful force for better mental health. This partnership is about using that reach to create real and lasting change in communities.”
“We know too many men in Australia are struggling in silence and that has to change. Initiatives like this help break down stigma and make it normal to talk about mental health in everyday settings like local sporting clubs.”
“Danny Frawley’s legacy is about honesty, courage and community. Through this next chapter we can reach more people where they already feel connected and supported and help build stronger and more mentally fit communities.”
