Movie star and lifelong St Kilda fan Eric Bana has opened up on his special friendship with the late Danny Frawley who ‘always made him laugh’ ahead of the annual Spud’s Game on Friday night.
Bana was a huge fan of ‘Spud’ Frawley, a 240-gamer, All-Australian and member of St Kilda’s Hall of Fame in his playing days, and struck up a close bond with him later in life when the pair used to go on regular cycling rides together.
The Aussie actor sat down with current Saints captain Jack Steele to discuss the importance of Spud’s Game, which aims to destigmatise mental health and encourage those struggling with mental health to speak up.
Aussie actor Eric Bana is a lifetime Saints fan, and is seen here in the dressing room in 2019
The Saints will be taking on Essendon for the second annual Spud’s game, and Bana said his mate’s most important legacy he left the world, after his tragic suicide, was the importance of speaking up.
‘I think one of the amazing legacies Danny’s left, it was the the stigmatization of mental illness and depression and just the way that he helped make it just part of normal discussion, especially in the sporting arena where there’s a lot of … hard men that wouldn’t show their emotions in the past,’ Bana said to Steele on St Kilda’s website.
Danny Frawley played 240 games for St Kilda in a glittering career
It shocked and saddened the entire footy world, the nation even, when Frawley died after his car slammed into a tree near Ballarat.
The Coroners Court of Victoria concluded the weight of evidence supported the conclusion Frawley took his own life.
He left behind wife Anita and three daughters, Chelsea, Keeley and Danielle.
Frawley’s family: Chelsea, Keeley, Anita (wife) and Danielle at the inaugural Spud’s Game
Eric Bana arrives at Danny Frawley’s funeral in Moorabbin on September 17, 2019
Frawley’s casket was adorned in the Saints colours and featured a photo of him and a jersey
It was also revealed after his death, that Stage II chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) was likely linked to Frawley’s severe battles with depression over the years; something he was adept at hiding in public thanks to his gregarious personality.
One of Spud’s most memorable features was that funnyman personality, and Bana said he was always puzzled as to how Spud would manage to be so hilarious over text.
Danny Frawley was nicknamed Spud because he grew up on a potato farm near Ballarat
Even in the middle of commentating a game!
‘I think getting to know him and becoming a mate — as everyone says, he had just the greatest sense of humour,’ Bana said about his late mate.
‘That text banter was always hilarious, whether it was during a game or before a game or after a game.
‘Sometimes I’d wonder how he’d send a text while he was in the commentator’s booth … (he was) gregarious, warm and friendly to everyone who was in his presence,’ said Bana.
Eric Bana (right) with another late, great St Kilda fan – Shane Warne
Bana said in an interview ahead of Spud’s Game he had fond cycling memories with Frawley
Bana also fondly recalled his many cycling rides with Frawley, something he described as a ‘really special times’ for the pair.
‘We both enjoyed cycling and so we would go out and ride occasionally and just chew the fat and luckily for me, he never stopped talking, so I’d be able to recover pretty well and put in a fair effort while he was just riding next to me talking the whole time,’ he laughed.
‘And he always made me laugh, was always telling a funny story, and we had some really, really great chats on those rides. We loved the cycling.’
Danny Frawley struck up a strong friendship with Eric Bana before his passing
For the second annual Spud’s game this Friday, St Kilda have teamed up with Movember, a men’s health charity, to encourage people to ‘Take Time 2 Talk’ about mental health and suicide prevention.
Frawley wanted to normalise men talking about mental health, and continuing his legacy in that space can quite literally save lives.
You can donate to Spud’s game here, and don’t forget to ‘Take Time 2 Talk’ to your family and friends.
Before the first bounce at the inaugural Spud’s game in 2021
Saints players along with Keely and Chelsea Frawley launch the 2022 Spud’s Game
Struggling with any of the issues discussed in this story? You can find the help you need at:
- Lifeline – 13 11 14, lifeline.org.au
- Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636, beyondblue.org.au
- Headspace – 1800 650 890, headspace.org.au
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