This is a list of Australian rules football players who have died either during their respective playing careers or due to career-ending injury or disease incurred during their playing career. It includes both on-field and off-field deaths. People who had announced their retirement from playing despite still being at an age when they could still have been active, or who only continued to play in low-level amateur or exhibition matches are not listed.

Off-field deaths

Player Age Club Competition Cause of death Year 27 North Melbourne VFL pneumonia 1946 24 North Fremantle (formerly South Melbourne) WAFL (formerly VFL) run over by a train 1913 25 Perth (formerly Carlton) WAFL (formerly VFL) suicide (overdose) 1990 24 Melbourne AFL drowning (2004 Asian tsunami) 2004 29 Hawthorn (formerly Fitzroy and Carlton) VFL suicide (hanging) 1933 28 Hawthorn VFL cancer (testicular) 1976 26 South Melbourne VFL illness 1914 24 Numurkah (formerly South Melbourne) MFNL (formerly VFL) struck by motor vehicle 1936 23 University (formerly Melbourne) VFL sudden illness 1909 29 Rupanyup (formerly South Melbourne) WFL (formerly VFL) motorcycle accident 1953 24 Richmond VFL motorcycle accident 1953 26 Footscray VFL car accident 1959 29 , Melbourne VFL cancer (Hodgkin's lymphoma) 1983 19 Footscray AFL waterskiing accident 1990 23 Norwood SANFL Suicide 2023https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/footy-world-pays-tribute-to-nick-lowden-after-23yos-tragic-and-unexpected-death/news-story/482a083c429d918837f8fe20d0cc3320 21 Footscray VFL car accident 1969 20 Port Melbourne (former West Coast rookie) VFL (formerly AFL) car accident 2013 22 Port Adelaide AFL accidental fall in Las Vegas 2012 29 South Melbourne VFL peritonitis (from burst appendix) 1897 26 Collingwood AFL car accident 1991 28 Melbourne VFL railway accident 1903 26 Warrnambool (formerly Richmond) HFNL (formerly AFL) car accident 1992 23 Carlton VFL pleurisy 1935 24 Ballarat (formerly Melbourne) BFL (formerly VFL) car accident 1955 21 St Kilda VFL typhoid fever 1902 34 Port Melbourne (formerly Collingwood) VFA (formerly VFL) unknown, may have been on-field 1912 27 Hawthorn VFL blood poisoning 1933 20 South Melbourne VFL car accident 1970 25 Carlton VFL car accident 1965 35 Norwood SANFL pleurisy 1935 26 East Perth (formerly North Melbourne) WAFL (formerly AFL) drowning in Bali 1996 23 Hoppers Crossing (formerly North Melbourne) WFNL (formerly AFL) brain aneurysm 2026https://www.afl.com.au/news/1460886/former-north-melbourne-kangaroos-forward-phoenix-spicer-dies-aged-23 24 North Melbourne VFL appendicitis 1942 28 Port Melbourne (formerly Carlton) VFA (formerly VFL) tetanus 1965 28 Woodville-West Torrens (formerly Richmond and Collingwood) SANFL (formerly VFL) car accident 2003 24 Essendon VFL car accident 1970 26 Yallourn (formerly Essendon) GFL (formerly VFL) motor bike accident 1935 26 Kyabram (formerly Carlton) GVFL (formerly AFL) drowning 1996 26 Port Adelaide SANFL building accident 1988 23 St Kilda VFL railway accident 1901 21 Footscray VFL Brain haemorrhage 1951 23 Carlton VFL tetanus 1926

On-field deaths

Date Name Age Club (league) Notes 17 June 1921 26 Williamstown (VFA) The former South Melbourne player suffered a concussion and a broken leg in an 11 June game against Essendon Association, after both players attempted to kick a loose ball away. He died six days later due to a combination of concussion and hypostatic pneumonia.The Argus, "Death Of Footballer", 22 June 1921. p. 10 7 July 1921 24 Carlton (VFL) Following a club training session, Downs was receiving a massage for his injured shoulder (sustained five days earlier against Collingwood) when he slumped forward and died from a heart attack. Downs had previously briefly retired from the sport in 1919 after learning that his heart was overstrained.Worrall, Jack, "Notes and Comments", The Australasian, (Saturday 16 July 1921), p. 21. 17 September 1932 23 South Fremantle (WANFL) Playing in the semi-final against East Perth, Doig suffered injuries due to rough play, but elected to continue on for his team. Later that evening, Doig suffered from convulsions and died shortly before midnight at a hospital. An examination of his brain post-mortem showed signs of congestion and swelling, which may have been exacerbated due to Doig playing on. 11 July 1940 23 South Fremantle (WANFL) Poole suffered abrasive injuries to his jaw in a 6 July game against Perth. He was treated at a hospital in Fremantle, and four days later returned to the hospital as his jaw had continued swelling. The following day, Poole died during an operation due to heart failure. A post-mortem later found that the swelling was due to a laryngeal oedema caused by Ludwig's angina, which resulted in Poole's heart failing mid-operation. The infection itself may have entered Poole's jaw through his injury. 13 July 1946 28 Katandra (CGVFL) The former Richmond player collided with an opponent during a game against Ardmona. Though initially stunned, Ford played out the match and returned home, but later died in a Mooroopna hospital that evening. A later post-mortem concluded that the collision had fractured part of his temporal bone, causing a small piece to perforate his middle meningeal artery, leading to a fatal brain bleed.Coroner Probes Cause of Katandra Captain's Death; Accidental Collision on Field, The Shepparton Advertiser (Friday, 16 August 1946), p. 15. 21 March 1971 22 Sunshine (VFA) Collapsed and died from a heart attack during a practice match against Benalla. He had landed heavily following a marking contest five minutes earlier and had shown no ill effects from the landing.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=r9xUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ppADAAAAIBAJ&pg=2265%2C4681282 The Age, 22 March 1971 "Sunshine forward dies at practice" 17 June 1989 32 Mitcham (EDFL) Collapsed and died from a heart attack during a league match against Ringwood. 1 May 1999 24 Sale (GLFL) Died after colliding with an opponent during a league game against Traralgon. 2 May 2015 24 Otway Districts (CDFNL) Died from a heart attack after being tackled during a league match against Lorne. 30 May 2015 22 Northern Saints (EDFL) Collapsed and died from a heart attack after kicking a goal in a reserves match against Avondale Heights. 23 April 2023 20 Birdwood (HFL) During a 22 April game against Gumeracha, Loiacono collided with an opponent while attempting to pick up the ball. He went into cardiac arrest and passed away the next day after his condition deteriorated. 6 July 2026 27 Epping (NFNL) During a reserves game against Lalor on 4 July, Fitzgerald suffered three head knocks in rapid succession (the first from a head clash, the second from a player's knee or foot, and the third from striking a covered cricket pitch) after attempting to tackle an opponent. He was transported to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a serious condition, but his life support was turned off two days later after his condition deteriorated.

See also List of Victorian Football League players who died on active service

References