Wayne Schwass Biography

Mental health campaigner Wayne Schwass says he is confident Mitch Clark can handle the new expectations on him after being given a new lease on AFL life by the Cats.

"With the time Mitch spent away, he now understands a lot of the trigger points … and a lot of the things he can implement in his day-to-day life," Schwass said.

"He's got a very supportive football club and I've got a fair bit of confidence that he's in a really good place.

"The expectations are really only external. He's achieved his greatest goal, and that was to play a game of footy again when 12 months ago it was the furthest thing that would happen."

Former North Melbourne and Sydney Swans midfielder and depression sufferer Wayne Schwass has commended Harry O'Brien for going public with his latest revelations about dealing with "personal demons".

"If I look at my own experience, I never felt comfortable with it because I tried to hide it," Schwass told Crocmedia's Sportsday.

"The difference here is Harry's gone very public with it whilst he's playing.

"If I had my time again that's the first thing I would've done. I would've told those people I needed to tell so I can actually deal with what I needed to do.

"He should be commended, Harry. He's absolutely right, footy is second at the moment."

Former Fremantle player Andrew Browne wins a landmark decision, believed to be worth about $40,000, after he argued he suffered psychologically as the result of being unable to overcome hamstring injuries.

Former North Melbourne great Wayne Schwass has praised the decision to compensate Andrew Browne for his bout with depression.

"I think we need to continually deal (with) and educate our playing groupcom, whether it be at club level or the entire playing group level, because they're human beings," Schwass said.

"And just because someone might be playing good footy, does not guarantee that they'll be making smart choices."

Former North Melbourne player and teammate of Dean Laidley, Wayne Schwass, says it was a good time for the Kangaroos coach to stand down.

"After seven years I think it is a good decision for both parties that perhaps he needed a new challenge. The club needs a new face and I think it is an interesting and challenging time for that football club to entice the best candidate," Schwass told SEN radio.

"If Dean Laidley is as good as a lot of people are saying then he shouldn't have too much to worry about because there will be opportunities. If he is as the top of the pecking order because he still has ability as a senior coach, he will get another job."