Former Melbourne footballer Daniel Ward has been free of his gambling addiction for two years. Picture: Michael Dodge Source: Herald Sun
FORMER Melbourne and North Adelaide footballer Daniel Ward can feel his senses heighten this time of year, when the papers are packed with Spring Carnival stories and office talk turns to the tip of the next major race.
Ward is a gambling addict, now "sober" for two years and four months after blowing all of the spoils of a successful football career, but he knows he's only one bet away from falling into a black hole again.
He was a dashing back-flanker with the Demons and gambling began as part of the good life, only to consume him and threaten to tear him apart from his family and consider the worth of his life.
Ward speaks openly about his demons, works with the AFL players' union and wants to help others at risk.
And he fears other footballers - at all levels of the game - have never been as vulnerable as today.
Only a few years ago, gambling still required an effort. With today's smartphones, you can gamble your life away in minutes if you have been monstered by the addiction.
Ward hit rock bottom, but still shudders at the prospect of being a gambling addict armed with today's technology.
"It's been over two years now that I've been sober, if you like, off gambling, but if that was around when I was doing it - just pushing a couple of buttons on a phone - it definitely would have made it a lot harder for me," Ward said. "That sort of market has really exploded.
"It's a private problem, if you like. Even when I came out and fessed up, a lot of people had no idea. You put on a mask.
"If somebody has a drug addiction or and alcohol addiction there are obviously tell-tale signs of that, but if you put on that face with gambling you can basically keep it to yourself.
"The gambling advertising and the like is probably a bit out of control and maybe needs to be reined in. "For somebody with a gambling addiction, it's not good. I'm ready for them so it doesn't really affect me."
For that, Ward still knows the threat of a relapse will always be there, having heard of others who have beaten the demons only to fall back into their grip years later.
This time of year is particularly threatening.
"It's been two years and four months but I'm not safe at all," Ward said. "Obviously Spring Carnival ... I need to stay away from those situations.
"I still go to Gamblers' Anonymous meetings and I've been to several when people have been clean for three or four years and then for whatever reason have busted.
"I'm by no means out of the woods; I'm just one punt away from being back on that destructive path.
"But my life has got that much better and I definitely don't want to get back."
Ward, along with former Crows captain Simon Goodwin, are two of the good news stories to come out of North Adelaide's GATS counselling and treatment services run by Robert Mittiga, a former addict himself.
The AFL players' union regularly refers footballers to the centre, and both Goodwin and Ward have spoken openly about their situations after being treated there.
Ward's mission now is for other addicts to seek help.
He opens presentations with a thought along this line: "I hope this doesn't affect anybody in this room," and he means it.
But he's happy to share what he's learned on his battle with addiction and tries to point others who are vulnerable in the right direction before too much damage has been caused.
"Gamblers tend to think the problem's too big," Ward said. "And it's not until the fog clears and you're out of your addiction that you realise that it's not as bad as you think it is and there are people who can help."
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