AFL 2021: Western Bulldogs star Adam Treloar says being open about his mental health bit him at Collingwood

Adam Treloar says being open about his mental health struggles came back to bite him during the shock trade period when he left Collingwood and joined the Western Bulldogs. Reflecting on the tough time last year, the midfielder said revealing his issues probably worked against him when it emerged his netball star fiance Kim Ravaillion signed with the Queensland Firebirds. The couple were planning to spend time apart while they each pursued their sporting careers, with Ravaillion taking their baby daughter Georgie with her up north. “There was probably a little bit of a worry there from people at Collingwood,’’ Treloar tells The Byron Cooke Show podcast. “For me I feel like when I did come out and speak about challenges I’ve had in my life and things that I’ve struggled with, I didn’t do it for myself. I did it for I guess to show that there are people who are perceived, and me being a professional athlete and playing for a big powerful club in Collingwood like I was at the time. It’s perceived that you have no issues, you got no worries, you’re going and playing out in front of 90,000 people at the MCG every week, but it was polar opposite. “I clearly had a lot going on in my life and I was struggling with quite a bit. “I feel like it did come back to I guess bite me a little bit. I think if you were to look into the nitty gritty there’s a lot more other things that went on with me leaving the Collingwood Football Club. “I definitely think there was something that might have triggered people at Collingwood that Adam won’t be able to cope with Kim and Georgie being away.” He added: “I feel it played a part but I guess one door opens and another door closes. It was all about Kimmy and the family and how we’re going to make it work for each other. It’s been a whirlwind but I wouldn’t change it for anything.” Treloar, who played 94 games for the Magpies over five seasons, said he was in a good place and the decision they made as a family didn’t come lightly. Collingwood admitted Kim’s move was the catalyst for discussion about Treloar’s future. He also revealed to host Byron Cooke, a former member of FOX FM’s breakfast show, that basketballer Joe Ingles had reached out to offer some advice. “For a while there (his wife) Renae was in Melbourne and Joe was living in Utah. He actually reached out and gave a lot of support to Kim and I and spoke about how it’s made them stronger and the family — the love and care they have for each other, probably wouldn’t be as strong if it wasn’t for the long distance they had. I know they are together now but it’s something that makes you stronger.” Kim, who has played 57 games for Australia and previously played Super Netball with Collingwood, is now in Queensland with the Firebirds for training and says her career was somewhat overlooked. “I guess I was left out of the conversation. It was all, ‘we’ll chat to Kimmy’ but I never heard from anyone. Like Adam said one doors closes, another one opens and we’re both in such a good head space at the moment.”