Adelaide Captain Jordan Dawson has delivered a heartfelt message to those struggling with mental health after accepting the AFL Players Association’s Most Courageous Player Award on Tuesday night. 

Dawson spoke at the annual AFL Awards, a night where he won the AFLPA’s Best Captain and Most Courageous Player Awards, as well as being named the All-Australian Vice Captain. 

The 29-year-old was interviewed by Fox Footy’s Jonathan Brown, where he spoke about the “raw” emotions of the 2026 season. 

“It’s been a struggle, it’s not easy. It’s a range of emotions, and they come at different times. For me, it was just about creating a safe place within the footy Club, within the home,” Dawson said.

“(It’s about) me understanding that it’s okay to feel a certain type of way, and to talk to people that are close to me, the ones I love, and make sure we’re having ongoing conversations about how we’re dealing with the events that have happened.

“It’s still pretty raw, it’s always going to be hard to talk about I think. I’m just so fortunate I’ve got such great support around me in the football Club, but also my loving family and my wife’s family. I definitely wouldn’t be here without them.”

Dawson then took the chance to deliver a message to those that might be struggling, and explained how he hoped to grow in the mental health advocacy space.

“I just want to say, the mental health space is something that’s pretty new and pretty raw to me at the moment, but it’s definitely something I want to learn a bit more about,” Dawson said.

“I want to wish anyone who’s struggled with mental health out there – or is struggling with mental health – to know that you are definitely loved, and the world is a better place when you’re in it.

“And that you are enough, and we all love you, and you have beautiful family and friends around you.

“Like I said, (mental health) is a space that I really want to get into, but when the time’s right, I’ll answer that. I just want to say ‘you are enough, and you’re loved’.”

"The mental health space is something that's pretty new and pretty raw to me at the moment but it's definitely something that I want to learn a bit more about," Dawson said.

"I just want to wish anyone who's struggling with mental health to know that you are definitely loved and the world is a better place with you in it.

"You are enough, and we all love you, and you have beautiful family and friends around you."