Rex Hunt 'not in a good place' as Sam Newman provides update on AFL icon

Sam Newman has revealed fellow AFL icon Rex Hunt is "not in a good place" and seeking help after a concerning episode in Melbourne this week. According to the Herald Sun, Hunt was driving along the Princes Highway towards Geelong at 2am when he pulled over and called police for assistance.

The 73-year-old was then taken to hospital. Victoria Police said in a statement: “Police received a report of an incident at a Little River service station early Tuesday morning, 17 January.

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“Officers attended and spoke to a 73-year-old man about 2.15am. He was taken to hospital for assessment. There were no injuries reported.”

On Wednesday, Hunt's friend and fellow former AFL player Newman revealed he'd visited him in hospital. “Rex was a good footballer, he played in two premierships, and he has been a great radio caller and a world-class fisherman … and despite all of that, Rex, he is having some mental problems,” Newman said on the 'You Cannot Be Serious' podcast.

“We are trying to support him to say ‘Rex, you have got to help yourself before everyone else tries to help you’. He is not in a good place, but he should, if he has got any experience in life about what made him a good footballer or what made him good on the radio or what made him a world-class fisherman, if he used those principles to try and guide him, he might take a turn for the better.”

Hunt’s close friend John Locco, a former Mayor of Brighton, said: “There are a lot of people that hold Rex in high esteem and we are concerned and supporting him. He can count on our support, affection and friendship."

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Hunt played 202 games with Richmond, Geelong and St Kilda, winning two premierships with the Tigers. After his retirement he forged a successful commentary career and was the star of iconic TV show 'Rex Hunt's Fishing Adventure'.

He has become embroiled in controversy in recent months, firstly for comments he made about Channel 7 commentator and AFLW trailblazer Daisy Pearce. The 73-year-old was condemned across the footy world last July after expressing his opinion about TV networks having to cater for "equal genders" in their broadcasting teams after Pearce replaced Wayne Carey on Friday night footy.

He later told the Herald Sun: “Daisy is terrific and she’ll go well coaching and I understand you’ve got to have a lady there. But which bright spark at Channel 7 thought to get rid of (Carey) - he or she is wrong.”

Hunt was then filmed in an alleged road rage incident a few weeks later in which he appeared to threaten another man with a garden tool. Fans have taken to social media in recent days to send their well-wishes.

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