Former AFL champion Ben Cunnington is recovering at home after a serious health scare saw him undergo multiple surgeries for blood clots.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The midfielder who plays at Warrnambool in Victoria, wants to return to the football field in 2025 and help the Blues chase a Hampden league premiership.
Cunnington, 33, spent 10 days in a Geelong hospital after falling ill, returning to his Nullawarre home on Monday.
Warrnambool coach Dan O'Keefe told The Standard the former North Melbourne midfielder, who has also battled cancer, was in a positive mind frame after a scary period for himself and his family.
"Once there was a bit more clarity with what was happening, it gave the family and Ben a bit more peace of mind," he said.
"Knowing what he's been through in the past, he's the last person that needs any help to draw perspective on life.
"He is an optimist. He's very positive and even throughout this whole situation now, yes, he's unlucky to go through this, but he also thinks he's quite lucky they found this when they did.
"He's as resilient a person I have ever met."
O'Keefe said Cunnington, who won two club best and fairest awards at North Melbourne, went to Warrnambool Base Hospital on Friday, February 7 and was transferred to Geelong that same day.
The 238-game AFL star had a blood clot "from his bicep up towards his neck".
"He had a bit of a sore arm and we noticed it at training and he worked all week and by that Friday, he got it checked out and there was a blood clot in his arm," O'Keefe said.
O'Keefe said initially there was one blood clot and others popped up afterwards.
"He has had a few operations in that time to try and release the blood clots to the point where eventually the surgery was deemed successful and he was able to come home," he said.
O'Keefe said Cunnington, who is a close mate, had received a positive assessment.
"It seems to be all-clear moving forward. There will be some medication involved initially but moving forward it's about rest and recovery and slowly getting his body back to where it was," he said.
...He's the last person that needs any help to draw perspective on life
- Dan O'Keefe
"He'll be able to work again soon. He'll miss the first part of the footy season but he'll give us a nice little boost in the backend."
Warrnambool Football Netball Club has rallied around the 2024 Hampden league-leading goal-kicker.
"There is more help coming. I think that is what community groups do - once you belong somewhere, you're connected," O'Keefe said.
"Ben and his kids are a massive part of our club. They spent more time at our club than any family last year."
