Matthew Pavlich has launched a staunch defence of the AFL Players Association programs to help players cope with retirement after both Ben Cousins and Daniel Chick were hospitalised in recent weeks.
Cousins is currently in a stable condition in Perth's Sir Charles Gairdner hospital after suffering a fall at a drug rehabilitation clinic on Monday evening and hitting his head on a wash basin.
And according to Sportsnewsfirst, Cousins' West Coast premiership team-mate and friend Daniel Chick has been admitted to Perth's Graylands Hospital for psychosis in the last month.
Much has been made of the fact that Cousins, in particular, has struggled in his battle with drug addiction since retiring from Richmond at the end of the 2010 season, especially after losing the daily structure and routine that comes with playing at AFL level.
But Dockers captain Pavlich, a member of the AFLPA executive, believes the organisation has enough programs and support services available to help players like Cousins and Chick.
"I think that's something that the general public and the media aren't across as much as the players are," said Pavlich at Fremantle's official team photo shoot on Thursday.
"There's programs left, right and centre that are available for players, both in their early part of their career, first three years, and then consistently throughout until you're in your 13th year," Pavlich added, referring to the fact he's about to play his 13th season.
"So it's not something that is public, or in the public domain as much as maybe we'd like but from a Players Association perspective we couldn't do more to assist the players."
"That's not only during but after their careers as well, all the services available, psychological, and whatever else for particular players."
Pavlich agreed that the Cousins case was a particularly sad and complex one.
"I think it highlights the complexities of individuals," he said.
"You know there are a variety of illnesses out there that people have to overcome on a daily basis and that's just one of those."
"And people talk about individuals falling back into situations, well I think you're constantly fighting, it's not a like a tap, you don't turn it on and off, it's something that's always there and people are always having to deal with it."
In more football-oriented news, Pavlich said David Mundy (ankle) and Nathan Fyfe (groin and shoulder), who both had pre-season surgery, along with Anthony Morabito (knee) were on all on track for season 2012.
"I would have thought all of those guys ... are likely to play some part of the pre-season games," Pavlich said.
"How many games and how early on (it's) probably too early to tell, there's six or seven weeks of training to go, but they're progressing really well."
"Certainly Nat's progressed really well over the last couple of weeks and Morabito was running extremely well this morning in the heat and looks to have really progressed over the last couple of weeks with his knee and that's on track."