The sporting world has been rocked by a complex and tragic coronial finding into the death of former West Coast Eagles star Adam Hunter, which reveals a devastating collision of sporting injury and personal struggle.
Hunter, a key member of the Eagles' 2006 premiership-winning team, was posthumously diagnosed with an advanced stage of the degenerative brain disease Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). The condition, linked to repeated head trauma in contact sports, was found to have significantly contributed to his well-documented behavioural changes and tragic decline.
A Complicated Medical Picture
State Coroner Sarah Linton's findings delivered a critical nuance, indicating that Hunter's use of methamphetamine played a substantial role in his final years. The report concluded that while CTE was a major factor, it was the "effects of methamphetamine use" that were the direct cause of his death in 2022.
This creates a poignant and complex legacy for the 38-year-old former defender, suggesting his later-life struggles were a heartbreaking interplay of brain injury and substance use.
A Family's Heartbreaking Testimony
The inheard harrowing evidence from Hunter's family, who described a man transformed from a celebrated athlete into someone plagued by paranoia, confusion, and erratic behaviour in the years following his 106-game AFL career.
His father, Greg Hunter, provided a gut-wrenching account of his son's deterioration, stating the man they knew had "gone away". The family's testimony painted a picture of a man battling invisible demons directly linked to his time in the sport he loved.
Sport's Reckoning With CTE Continues
This case throws a stark spotlight back onto the ongoing concussion crisis in contact sports worldwide. Hunter becomes one of the most high-profile Australian rules footballers to receive a posthumous CTE diagnosis, raising urgent questions about player welfare and the long-term impacts of head knocks.
The AFL has since introduced stricter concussion protocols, but Hunter's story serves as a sombre reminder of a previous era's limitations and the human cost of repetitive head trauma.
His death, and its complex causes, leaves a lasting challenge for sporting codes to better understand and protect their athletes from the invisible wounds of the game.
