Brown's brave stand against cycle of suicide

Manly star Lewis Brown has had enough.

After suicide took the lives of both his father and his grandfather, and after learning of the passing of Chad Robinson, he took a stand and spoke up.

Initially, Brown posted an image to Instagram announcing the passing of his Dad and imploring others to reach out to loved ones and ask them if they're ok.

"Pick up the phone and call a friend/family and catch up with them," Brown wrote.

But it wasn't easy for the Kiwi international to speak out, considering he struggled like many other men to let his feelings out.

"I’m gutted and thankful that it’s taken something extreme like this for me to go ‘hold up’," he told News Corp.

"I’m the type of dude where I hold everything in and I don’t want to be a burden on people.

"I was reading about Chad Robinson and he was similar.

"I’ve started talking to someone who is a professional and I don’t want to put it all in the back in my head and in 15 years’ time it all comes out. I want to break the cycle.

"It’s been a tough couple of months but this is the best head space I’ve been in a long time."

Brown had little contact with his Dad growing up, and was raised by a single mother.

"It’s changed my head space a bit. I hadn’t talked to my old man in eight years so it’s been hard.

"I’m glad to be back at training and in a good head space. I’m real happy. I’m still grieving.

"Suicide is a hard thing. You have so many questions, especially when I haven’t talked to my old man in eight years.

"2016 was one of the hardest years on and off the field for me. I want to get back to being happy. That’s when I play my best footy."

Brown says he's ready for a massive season with the Sea Eagles after returning to pre-season training early.