Movember Ahead of the Game
Ahead of the Game brings teams together to have real conversations about mental fitness. In workshops with your team, you’ll explore how mental fitness helps you show up at your best in both footy and life.
It’s about learning practical ways to handle challenges and check in with your teammates. You’ll build confidence to talk about mental health, recognise when someone might be struggling and know where to get support if you or someone you know may need it.
AFL Talent Wellbeing Program
Mental fitness is like your on-field fitness – it can be trained and strengthened. It helps you perform at your best, stay switched on, and connect with your teammates, both on and off the field. Staying mentally fit means having the skills and strategies to manage your mindset, bounce back from setbacks, and maintain your wellbeing. Players learn key skills such as journalling, goal setting and mindfulness.
Talent pathway players focus on building resilience so they can stay balanced, handle pressure, and perform at their best. Below you’ll find some practical tools and tips to help you practice these skills and integrate into your football training. Not every strategy works for everyone every time, so it’s important to build a toolkit of different approaches you can draw on when you need them.
AFL GOALS
This innovative series of 32 lessons, grounded in research from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, is created to improve students’ mental fitness. By incorporating notable TikTok influencers and AFL personalities, this program seeks to educate and motivate students, empowering them to build resilience and gain a deeper understanding of mental health and well-being.
Youth Advisory Group
In 2025, the AFL created the Youth Advisory Group (YAG) to give young players a real voice in shaping their footy experience. Made up of athletes from across the Talent League, the group shares ideas and feedback to help the AFL better connect with the next generation.