There was no player more deserving of this year’s Robert Rose Most Courageous Player Award than Jordan Dawson.

And the inspirational Adelaide captain delivered a crucially important mental health message on Tuesday night that captured the heart of the All-Australian captain.

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On Tuesday night at the AFL Awards, Dawson came away with three honours: AFLPA Best Captain, AFLPA Most Courageous Player, and a third All-Australian blazer.

But it was the speech he gave upon receiving the Most Courageous award that had teary eyes welling up all around Centrepiece Melbourne.

Because Dawson, who tragically lost his brother, Jaryd, in April, picked himself back up in the toughest of circumstances to keep leading finals-bound Adelaide.

And he did so in the same way he has since being named the Crows’ captain in 2023; by example, with no fuss.

Asked by Fox Footy host Jonathan Brown how he has continued to navigate the traumatic loss, an emotional Dawson said: “It’s been a struggle; it’s not easy. It’s a range of emotions. They come at different times.”

While he spoke, the big-screen camera panned to the 29-year-old’s wife, Milly, and father, Tony.

“You’ll probably have to take them off the screen, otherwise I’ll start crying,” he smiled, trying not to choke up.

“(It’s) just about creating a safe place within the footy place, within home. Understanding that there’ll be times where I struggle to come into work, but the footy club’s been awesome in that space.

“Also me understanding that it’s OK to feel a certain type of way, and to also talk to the people that are close to me and the ones that I love, and make sure that we’re having ongoing conversations about how we’re all dealing with the events that have happened.

“It’s still pretty raw, to be honest, mate, like it’s always going to be hard to talk about, I think.

“I’m just so fortunate I’ve got such great support around me in the footy club, but also my loving family and my wife’s family — I definitely wouldn’t be here without them.”

‘I want to get behind Jordan Dawson’ | 01:13

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Finally, before leaving the stage, Dawson delivered an important message regarding mental health.

“I just want to say, obviously the mental health space is something that’s pretty new and pretty raw to me at the moment, but it’s definitely something that I want to learn a bit more about,” he said.

“I just want to wish anyone who’s struggled with mental health out there, or who is struggling with mental health, to know that you are definitely loved, and the world is a better place with you in it.

“And that you are enough, and that we all love you, and that you have beautiful family and friends around you.

“Like I said, it’s a space that I really want to get into, and when the time’s right, I’ll enter that. But like I said, you are enough, and you are loved.”

The moving speech was felt by all in attendance and by those watching on TV screens, with newly-minted nine-time All-Australian Max Gawn aptly recognising that later in the night.

When Melbourne’s history-making skipper gave his captaincy acceptance speech, he couldn’t help but tip his cap to his courageous Crows peer.

“To be honest, I think we probably saw one of the better captain’s speeches here tonight already,” Gawn said on Awards Night.

“I know the accolades with my nine times (All-Australian) allows me to be in the position to get captain, but I think we saw some leadership tonight.

“I think for Jordan to get up and do what he did, to speak about mental health, to lead his side through the tragedy that happened with his family, and then to show vulnerability in front of a group of strangers that he hasn’t got it right, he hasn’t got it perfect and asking for help, that’s a captain that I want to be behind.

“So, I appreciate the gesture, but I want to get behind Jordan Dawson, and I would allow him to do the speech, because his speech was perfect tonight.”

Brown joked: “We’ve had the first All-Australian captain to ever rescind the captaincy live on stage.”