sport news Ex-Demons star Brock McLean reveals he used cocaine and ecstasy to fill void ... trends now
Former AFL star Brock McLean has revealed he leaned on illicit drugs even more heavily in his post-footy career because he felt 'worthless' without the structure and buzz of AFL.
The midfielder, who played 157 games across a 11-year career with the Melbourne Demons and Carlton Blues after being the fifth pick in the 2003 AFL draft, has previously revealed he battled with bulimia and drug-use during his successful career.
In the wake of Saints player Sam Fisher facing drug trafficking charges, McLean was refreshingly honest in an interview with 3AW's Neil Mitchell on Tuesday, saying many AFL players struggle with adapting to life after footy.
McLean has previously opened up about battling bulimia and dabbling in heavy drug and alcohol use in his playing days, and he said life can unravel for many once they leave the AFL rat race.
'For a lot of players who leave the game, it's almost irreplaceable that feeling (of walking onto an AFL ground)... drugs are certainly one avenue former players go down to try and recreate that high, but the problem is it's doing more harm than good,' he told Mitchell.
'My drug use got so much worse when I finished playing because I didn't have that structure...
'Without that sense of self-worth, which is what AFL provided me, I felt worthless and I treated myself accordingly. I frequently used cocaine and ecstasy the most.
'I got to a point in my life where I was sick of doing the same thing over and over and I reached out to the AFL Players Association (AFLPA) and said I needed help and wanted to talk to a professional.
'They put me in touch with a psychologist who I'm still speaking to, to this day, and they still pay for every session.'
McLean said he has been seeing a psychologist since retiring from AFL, with sessions paid for by the Players' Association
The revelations come in the wake of former St Kilda star Sam Fisher being charged with trafficking commercial quantities of illicit drugs after a raid on a Melbourne property last Wednesday morning that saw detectives allegedly seize methylamphetamine, 1,4-Butanediol and a Mercedes-Benz.
Fisher opted not to appear when his case was mentioned in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday, with his lawyer stating he had chosen to remain in custody, and the case has been adjourned until August 10.
