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<\/p>\nWARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this story contains an image of a deceased person.<\/p>\n
Former North Melbourne livewire Phoenix Spicer has passed away, aged 23.<\/p>\n
The sister of Spicer\u2019s partner, Ky-ya Nicholson Ward, revealed the tragic news in a Facebook post on Saturday afternoon.<\/p>\n
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\u201cOn behalf of my sister Ky-ya and our family, we are devastated to share that last night we tragically lost our brother Phoenix Spicer. A beautiful, loyal and strong Nunggubuyu man,\u201d the post read.<\/p>\n
\u201cPhoenix will forever be our beloved brother, uncle, son, a partner to Ky-ya and a second dad to Jordy.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur hearts are broken with your sudden loss, you are watching over us in the Dreaming now my brother we will miss you! Forever 23.\u201d<\/p>\n
Spicer played 12 games for the Kangaroos after being drafted with Pick No.42 in the 2020 national draft. He was delisted at the end of 2023, before playing 18 games across two seasons for the Footscray Bulldogs in the VFL.<\/p>\n
Phoenix Spicer during match simulation at Arden Street on January 18, 2021 (Photo by Michael Klein)Source: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n
In a statement released by North Melbourne on Saturday night, club president Dr Sonja Hood said: \u201cPhoenix was only at the club for a short time but he was a popular and well-liked member of the playing group.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn behalf of the club, I would like to pass on my condolences to Phoenix\u2019s family and friends at this extremely sad time.\u201d<\/p>\n
A statement from Spicer\u2019s former manager Greg Size was provided to foxfooty.com.au on his passing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Deliver Sports Management family is heartbroken at the passing of much loved client and friend Phoenix Spicer,\u201d Size said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe feel privileged to have been involved in his life. He was indeed a special person, and we loved him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are thinking of Ky-Ya and her and Phoenix\u2019s family, and request that their privacy is respected at this time.<\/p>\n
\u201cPhoenix\u2019s family and friends understand the interest of well-wishers, but asks for the avoidance of speculation as to his cause of death at this difficult time.\u201d<\/p>\n
The AFL Players\u2019 Association extended their sadness on the 23-year-old\u2019s passing in a short statement from CEO James Gallagher.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe AFL Players\u2019 Association is saddened by the passing of our member Phoenix Spicer who played 12 AFL matches for North Melbourne from 2021 to 2023,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn behalf of the AFLPA Board, members and staff, we express our sincerest condolences to Phoenix\u2019s family, and his friends and former teammates. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe AFLPA continues to offer free and confidential wellbeing support nationwide to all current and past player members as well as their significant others.\u201d<\/p>\n
The South Adelaide product had signed with Hoppers Crossing in the Western Region Football League ahead of the 2026 season.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this story contains an image of a deceased person.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":389046,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[2095,5888,63,689,208455,208458,2456,2105,43,208457,795,18918,647,44,2041,7204,2067,677,29169,28008,177518,208456,41,39,42,40,124984,2614,660,208378],"class_list":["post-389045","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-headlines","tag-america","tag-arizona","tag-australia","tag-australia-and-new-zealand","tag-beloved-brother","tag-deceased-person","tag-facebook","tag-getty-images-inc","tag-headlines","tag-health-professional","tag-inc","tag-media-session","tag-melbourne","tag-news","tag-north-america","tag-north-melbourne-kangaroos","tag-northern-america","tag-oceania","tag-phoenix","tag-quinn-rooney","tag-sonja-hood","tag-sudden-loss","tag-top-news","tag-top-stories","tag-topnews","tag-topstories","tag-tragic-news","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-victoria","tag-western-region-football-league"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/389045","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=389045"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/389045\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/389046"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=389045"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=389045"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=389045"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}