The AFLW community is mourning the death of Adelaide premiership winner Heather Anderson, who passed away suddenly at the age of 28.
Anderson’s team, the Adelaide Crows, has released a statement confirming her tragic death, offering its condolences to her family and friends and saying it was unexpectant.
“The Adelaide Football Club is deeply saddened by the unexpected passing of Premiership player Heather Anderson. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends,” the statement, released Monday, read.
The statement included comments from AFLW general manager Nicole Livingstone, who conveyed her sympathy to Anderson’s family and friends, calling the 2017 premiership star a “much-loved and respected teammate”.
“Words cannot express the deep sadness among the AFL and AFLW community at this time,” Livingstone said. “On behalf of the AFL, I would like to express my deepest compassion to Heather’s family, friends and colleagues.”
AFL Players’ Association Chief Executive Paul Marsh also expressed his sadness, saying, “All at the AFLPA extend our deepest sympathies to Heather’s family, friends and all of those people who worked and played alongside her at Adelaide.”
“This is a terribly sad time and we will offer whatever services and support Heather’s family, former teammates and the Adelaide Football club may need during this tough time.”
Anderson was drafted into the inaugural AFLW in 2016, and found immediate success with the Crows, playing eight games for the team and winning the inaugural AFLW premiership a year later.
During the grand finals, her shoulder was dislocated, forcing her to undergo two surgeries within a year.
In 2018, Anderson was delisted ahead of the season. Soon after, she announced her indefinite retirement from the AFLW.
The former army medic in the Australian Defence Force was the first Northern Territory-based player drafted by the Adelaide Crows.
Anderson was known for wearing her characteristic pink headgear, which she wore to ensure her vision-impaired mother could see her on the field.
“She hated watching me get smashed and she couldn’t really see me play in the field,” Anderson told Mamamia in 2017.
“I hated pink and anything girly, so she would joke, ‘Maybe if you spray painted your helmet pink, I’d come and watch you play’.
“So I bought one in a sports shop as a joke and said, ‘now I’ve got one you’ve gotta come watch me play’. It just sort of went from there.”
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