- Horrible news follows passing of Troy Selwood, Dale Tapping
- West Coast star won a premiership with the Eagles
The AFL has been rocked by another tragedy with the shattering news that West Coast Eagles premiership winner Adam Hunter has died aged 43.
Hunter’s body was found in the early hours of Wednesday morning in Bunbury, just south of Perth, Western Australia, where he grew up and lived in retirement.
He played 151 games for the club in a career that lasted from 2000 to 2009, and played in the side that won the 2006 grand final, kicking the goal that won the match.
Hunter was forced out of the game through injury after originally being selected as the 29th pick in the 1999 draft.
He first played for South Bunbury before going on to star with Swan Districts in the WAFL in 1999, and was training with South Bunbury on Tuesday night after returning to play for the club after leaving the AFL, according to The West.
The Eagles posted a brief statement to X reading: ‘We are devastated by the loss of 2006 Premiership Eagle Adam Hunter. Our thoughts are with his family, teammates and friends.’
Adam Hunter (pictured) was found dead in his home town of Bunbury, Western Australia, in the early hours of Wednesday morning
The West Coast Eagles great kicked the wining goal in the 2006 grand final
Western Australia police released the following statement on Wednesday.
‘About 12.20am (AWDT) this morning, 5 February 2025, police and St John Ambulance were called to a residence in Withers [a suburb of Bunbury] upon report of a non-responsive male.
‘Upon arrival paramedics immediately commenced first aid, however; the man could not be revived.
‘The 43-yerar-old man was declared dead at the scene. The death is being considered non-suspicous, and a report will be prepared for the Coroner.’
On Wednesday, West Coast paid a touching tribute to the defender as they trained at Mineral Resources Park with an image of him after the 2006 grand final on the scoreboard with the words ‘Vale Adam Hunter’.
The 2006 flag was the pinnacle of Hunter’s career, as he scored with five minutes left in the grand final and the Eagles leading the Swans by just one point, with his celebration in the goal square going down in club history.
That season he kicked a career-best 29 goals, and was rated one of the club’s top players until his knee and shoulder forced him into retirement.
Hunter scored 11 of those goals in the finals series, and also received the only Brownlow Medal vote of his career that year.
In 2007 he was arguably the Eagles’ best as they dealt with injuries to superstars Chris Judd and Ben Cousins.
Hunter’s death comes just a day after former Brisbane Lions star Troy Selwood – the brother of Cats champion Joel – was found dead in his Geelong home aged 40.
Hunter (second from left) is pictured with his Eagles teammate, footy great Chris Judd (third from left) in 2007
Selwood’s brother Adam played with Hunter at West Coast.
On Tuesday it was also revealed that Essendon’s VFL coach Dale Tapping – who also worked with the Lions – had lost his battle with blood cancer. He was just 59.
Hunter faced court on domestic violence charges in March 2021, as he was accused of breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s home, attacking her and preventing her from leaving.
He was hit with charges of aggravated burglary, aggravated assault and deprivation of liberty, but those charges were discontinued when prosecutors found there were no reasonable prospects of obtaining a conviction.
Hunter continued to play after retiring from the AFL, turning out for Swan Districts in addition to South Bunbury, where he won a premiership in 2022.
More to come…
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