West Coast premiership player Adam Hunter has been posthumously diagnosed with CTE.
Hunter, 43, was found unresponsive in early February, with a coronial inquiry revealing meth-induced heart failure as the cause of his death.
Hunter’s drug use exacerbated his heart complications and coronary artery disease, according to the WA coroner.
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today 
His mum and step-dad, Joanne and Rod Brown, donated Hunter’s brain to the Australian Sports Brain Bank for research, which identified chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
The condition associated with repeated head trauma can only be diagnosed after death and has afflicted the likes of other late AFL greats, including Danny Frawley, Shane Tuck and Polly Farmer.
Hunter suffered multiple concussions throughout his 151-game career that was ultimately ended due to a chronic shoulder injury.
He continued to play footy until his passing.
His parents said Hunter had considered hanging up the boots on multiple occasions but thought he was already too far gone.
“When you see your son run onto the football field and within five minutes he’s on the stretcher being carried off shaking and convulsing, it’s pretty upsetting,” Rod Brown told the ABC.
“But that’s the game.”
Mother Joanne Brown hoped donating her son’s brain will help for future cases.
“We just hope that something can come out of the [brain] donations ... [and] it can help young players in the future to find a cure before it kills them,” she said.
Concussion remains one of the biggest issues in the AFL today.
West Coast star Jeremy McGovern was the latest player to be forced into medical retirement this year.
Collingwood pair Nathan Murphy and Josh Carmichael, Melbourne fan-favourite Angus Brayshaw and young Bulldog Aidan O’Driscoll have all been forced into medical retirement, along with former Eagles Daniel Venables and Brad Sheppard.
The AFL is currently fighting a class action brought against it by former Geelong premiership player Max Rooke as a result of permanent and life-altering injuries due to the league’s negligence over concussions.
The AFL has said over the past 30 years it has made a number of rule changes to better protect players and reduce the risk of concussion.
- With The West Australian
If you need help in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
For further information about depression contact beyondblue on 1300 224 636 or talk to your GP, local health professional or someone you trust.
Stream free on
