Sport
7 July, 2022
Royal Park football players set to shave mullets for mental health awareness
The Royal Park Football Netball Club will be celebrating a special event at the end of the season in the name of mental health awareness. The brainchild of the club’s new arrival for 2022, Jarrod Burman, the idea for him was to grow a mullet from...
The Royal Park Football Netball Club will be celebrating a special event at the end of the season in the name of mental health awareness.
The brainchild of the club’s new arrival for 2022, Jarrod Burman, the idea for him was to grow a mullet from New Year’s Day onwards and cut it off at the end of the season as a fundraiser for Beyond Blue.
As his journey has grown, he’s found support from an ally in Matt Doherty, who’ll also be chopping off his own mullet in support of Burman’s fundraiser.
The event will be held as part of a celebration for Royal Park’s final game of the 2022 home and away season, following the club’s round 16 clash with Maldon at Hedges Oval.
For Burman, it’s a cause very close to his heart.
“We want to make as much as possible for Beyond Blue as it’s something that’s very close to me. It’s hit home the last few years. Anything I can do to help people who need help means a lot to me,” he said.
Burman’s journey was boosted by getting to know Doherty shortly after joining the Tigers from Maryborough.
“At the start of the year I decided to join Royal Park, and was lucky enough to meet Matt through the footy club and over a function one Saturday night, I told him what my plan for the fundraiser was, and he told me he wouldn’t mind being a part of that, to my appreciation, as I was looking for a few people to join me anyway,” he said.
For Doherty, his personal story meant that he was able to share in Burman’s overall goal at the end of the season.
“Jarrod mentioned what he was planning, and I thought I’ll jump on. I’ve utilised Beyond Blue before, I’ve had mental illness issues for the last 22 years, and why not give back while I can,” Doherty said.
“Long story short, I was involved in a hit and run incident, I got an acquired brain injury and had what was called manic depression, which is now known as bipolar type A and schizophrenia.
“My mullet has been two and a half years of hard work, but it’s going to come off in 30 seconds.”
Both Burman and Doherty have been impressed at how the narrative around mental health has shifted over the years, finding that more and more people aren’t afraid to share their personal stories with those they trust, particularly in a sporting club environment such as Royal Park.
“Mental illness issues aren’t taboo now, you can speak up about it, reach out if you need a hand,” Doherty said.
As for Burman, he had an impassioned message for the wider community, as well as his Royal Park teammates.
“Don’t be afraid to reach out, whether it’s to your friends, family, a professional or someone at your club. I know from experience at different football clubs, there’s always someone at a club, it’s what we build a club for. We’re all together, the footballers and netballers are all for one another and we’re one big club and one community and we just need to help each other get through the hard times,” he said.
To donate to the fundraiser, search for ‘Silk and Burmo to lose the mullets for Beyond Blue’ on fundraise.beyondblue.org.au.
If you or someone you know is struggling, contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or at beyondblue.org.au, or LifeLine at 13 11 14.