A Victorian coroner is calling for more research into concussion-linked brain damage following the death of AFL great Danny Frawley.
The Saint Kilda champion had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease linked to repeated head blows, when he took his own life in a single-car crash near Ballarat in September 2019.
Coroner Paresa Spanos has called for the AFL and player's association to encourage players, and their legal representatives, to agree to donate their brains to the Australian Sports Brain Bank following their deaths.
CTE can only be diagnosed after death, is linked to mood and behavioural changes, and sometimes cognitive and memory impairment.
In her findings into Frawley's death handed down on Tuesday, Ms Spanos called for more research into the condition and how it leads to neurological dysfunction.
Ms Spanos said Frawley's mental health had deteriorated significantly before his death. CTE was potentially linked to the depression he had experienced for about five years prior.
The weight of evidence supported the conclusion Frawley took his own life the day after his 56th birthday, Ms Spanos said.
Frawley played 240 games for St Kilda between 1984 and 1995.
He captained the club for 177 games, making him the Saints' longest-serving skipper before being surpassed by Nick Riewoldt in 2016.
Frawley was inducted into St Kilda's Hall of Fame in 2007 and after his playing career coached Richmond for five years until 2004.
He then became chief executive of the AFL Coaches Association.
The AFL earlier this year doubled the time concussed players were barred from returning to the field from six to 12 days.
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