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St Kilda star Jack Steven will take another extended break from the AFL to manage his mental health, with the club unsure when he will return.
Key points:
- Jack Steven took time away from the AFL during the preseason because of his mental health
- St Kilda does not have a time frame on when Steven will return
- Other AFL players, such as Lance Franklin and Tom Boyd, have taken time off during their careers to deal with mental health issues
Steven also had time off in the preseason to deal with mental health issues but returned to play in the first two rounds of the premiership.
The 29-year-old was then rested for the Saints' next two matches before playing in their fixtures with Melbourne and Adelaide.
"The club and Jack have been working on managing his health and well-being over many months," Saints football operations manager Simon Lethlean said in a statement.
"The best option at present for Jack to fully overcome his challenges is to take an extended break away from football.
"We don't have an exact timeframe on how long that will be but the club will continue to provide as much support as possible.
"We ask again that Jack be given the time and privacy to deal with this matter."
Steven is among several AFL players who have taken time away from the game to manage their mental health.
If you or anyone you know needs help:
Sydney Swans spearhead Lance Franklin stepped away from playing duties in 2015, while Western Bulldogs premiership winner Tom Boyd took a break in 2017.
Heath Grundy, Travis Cloke, and Alex Fasolo have also been granted leave in the past few years to deal with their mental health.
Fremantle's Jesse Hogan did not play in round one of the AFL season because he was suffering from clinical anxiety, which the Dockers cited as being responsible for him "making poor decisions around alcohol consumption".
Steven won his fourth club best and fairest award last season and had previously served in the club's leadership group.
St Kilda is currently sixth on the AFL ladder and faces Greater Western Sydney at Manuka Oval on Saturday.
AAP/ABC
Topics: sport, australian-football-league, health, mental-health, st-kilda-3182