![\"Adam](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/e2dc3d56fedb4bc725ed6d5014c9d932.jpeg\")
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Adam Hunter was diagnosed with a degenerative brain disease after his death in February 2025. (Getty Images: Mark Dadswell)<\/p>\n
The Four Corners investigation has since triggered a WorkSafe Victoria investigation into the AFL over player safety and concussion management during contact training.<\/p>\n
Mrs Brown told Four Corners\u00a0she had not heard from the AFL since her son’s death in February 2025 and subsequent CTE diagnosis.<\/p>\n
Hunter was a West Coast Eagles premiership player and played 151 games.<\/p>\n
But last week Mrs Brown said Ms Kane called and said the AFL had initially failed to reach out because the clubs “handled” grieving families “very well”.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/88690025c2bc125679aaf7726a587281.jpeg\")
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Joanne Brown described a phone call from Laura Kane, pictured, as “too little, too late”. (Four Corners: Ryan Sheridan)<\/p>\n
“I said to [Ms Kane], ”It’s been 17 months since Adam passed’, and said this should have been done in the first month,” Mrs Brown said.<\/p>\n
“I said, ‘Why didn’t someone call then?'”<\/p>\n
“Laura said, ‘Oh, we thought the clubs handled this thing very well.’<\/p>\n
“I said, ‘But they play for you. You’re the AFL. They play for you.’<\/p>\n
“[Laura replied], ‘Oh yes, I\u2019ll take that on board and forward it on.’<\/p>\n
“But it’s too late. Too little too late.”<\/p>\n
Mrs Brown said Ms Kane told her the AFL was continuing to improve player health and safety and said it intended to reduce contact in training from this pre-season on in an attempt to decrease a footballer’s exposure to repetitive hits.<\/p>\n
CTE is linked to repetitive hits to the head and body.<\/p>\n
A coroner looking into the death of former Richmond player Shane Tuck, who died by suicide at 38 and had CTE, recommended the AFL reduce contact in training back in 2023.<\/p>\n
If you or someone you know needs help, call:Police: 000 (Triple Zero) in an emergencyLifeline<\/a>: 13 11 14MensLine Australia<\/a>: 1300 789 978Suicide Call Back Service<\/a>: 1300 659 467Beyond Blue<\/a>: 1300 224 636SANE<\/a>: 1800 187 263Shane Tuck took his own life after receiving repeated head knocks as a footballer and boxer<\/a><\/p>\n The coroner investigating footballer Shane Tuck’s death says the AFL should limit contact training sessions to reduce the risk of concussion.<\/p>\n Mrs Brown told the AFL that the league had failed to act fast enough on the coroner’s key recommendation.<\/p>\n “She was going on about what they’re trying to do not to combat head injuries and I said, ‘But wasn’t that in 2023 that you were supposed to stop physical contact at training?’<\/p>\n “And she goes, ‘Yes, but we’re working on it.’<\/p>\n “I said, ‘That’s three years ago. How many players have been affected in those three years?<\/p>\n “And she just waffled on like she did in the interview \u2026 that Four Corners did and I just went, ‘They’re just trying to cover up or make up’ \u2026 and it’s just disgusting.”<\/p>\n The Herald Sun\u00a0on Thursday revealed a Geelong player, with a history of concussion, had been presented with and signed a waiver<\/a>.<\/p>\n The document the player signed waived his legal responsibility for future on-field head trauma.<\/p>\n Geelong dumped the waiver after the Herald Sun report. The AFL said it had not approved the arrangement.<\/p>\n