GWS coach Leon Cameron says the AFL industry is heading in the right direction when it comes to mental health.

The days of being told to harden up at an AFL club are long gone, for both coaches and players.

Sydney veteran Heath Grundy this week became the latest player to take time away from the game to overcome mental health issues.

Grundy will continue to train with the Swans, but won’t play on Saturday against Collingwood.

“What Heath’s done is fantastic and the Swans have handled it really, really well,” GWS coach Leon Cameron told reporters.

“Some 10, 15, 20 years ago – and I hate to think what happened 40 years ago – it was just if you weren’t hard enough you were maligned.

“If training was too hard or you had some issues, you just had to harden up.”

Cameron has seen the industry slowly but surely mature when it comes to mental health, having started his playing career in 1990.

Lance Franklin, Alex Fasolo, Tom Boyd and Travis Cloke are among the players to have taken time away from the game to focus on their mental health in recent years.

– SBS News

Read more: Mental Health No Longer Taboo AFL Topic

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