A number of ex-AFL stars will head to a South Australian regional town to help raise awareness and funds for men's mental health support next month.
Former top-level players Dane Swan, Leon Davis, Shane Mumford, Jordan Murdoch and Winis Imbi will take to the field in Mount Gambier as part of the Match for Mental Health.
The game, which started out as a group of mates wanting to raise awareness about men's mental health issues, will also include local celebrities pulling on the boots.
Organiser and coach of one of the sides, Luke Thompson, said the organisers didn't expect the idea to take off and attract past footy legends.
"A couple of my mates, a couple of younger fellas, they probably had a couple around their age in the last 12 to 18 months that have passed away through suicide," he said.
"So the idea started with those [people]."
"We had it in our heads that it was just going to be a bunch of local boys just having a kick and just raising awareness, and the idea just took off."
A Welcome to Country, stalls and live music will accompany the game at East Gambier Football Club under lights on February 17.
Funds raised through the game will be donated to the local Mount Gambier chapter of Headspace.
"Football clubs and netball clubs are a big part of communities," Mr Thompson said
"So that's where people rally when good things happen or bad things happen.
"So we just thought it would naturally fit, trying to organise a footy game to raise awareness."
A Brownlow medallist, Goal of the Year winner and AFL Premiership player will take to the field on the day.
But Mr Thomspon said he expected the game would be a light-hearted affair, with players switching teams and putting on a show.
"I imagine there'd be a fair few who won't be able to pull four quarters together," he said.
"We're treating it like a pretty big spectacle, which I'm hoping it will be and hopefully we get a few people through the gates."
