The Western Bulldogs have enlisted a renowned opera singer and theatre actor to support players experiencing mental health challenges. Josh Piterman, a celebrated stage performer known for roles in productions such as Cats and Les Misérables, has been working with the club as a community foundation ambassador since 2024. His role has now been expanded to include responsibilities as part of the club's mental health support team.
The 40-year-old performer is a certified breathwork and meditation teacher, as well as a published self-help author and mindset coach. His expertise in guided breathing exercises is considered valuable for helping individuals manage anxiety, depression, and stress.
Piterman's new role comes shortly after the AFL mandated the use of full-time psychologists at clubs, following a mental health episode experienced by Carlton star Elijah Hollands during a recent match against Collingwood.
AFL football operations manager Laura Kane outlined several mental health measures the league will implement, noting that the AFL has been reviewing healthcare governance across the competition since late last year. "As a result of that work and in light of the circumstances, we will improve industry-wide healthcare governance standards," she said. "This has to be about care, clarity, and action, and this is bigger than one club and one night. There are lessons in this for all of us – the main one is that our duty of care must continue to evolve and that must include mental health and wellbeing."
Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge emphasized the importance of prioritizing players' mental wellbeing. "As long as players feel like they're being cared for, that's really important," he said. "The AFL provides a number of third-party options, and we've been through that with some of our players who aren't here anymore."
Piterman is an established musical theatre performer who has worked on Australian and UK stages for over a decade. His past credits include being part of international pop opera group The Ten Tenors and playing Tony in the 2010 Australian production of West Side Story. He has also performed numerous solo concerts and events across the country.
The news comes as the Bulldogs sit 12th on the AFL ladder. They started the season strongly, winning their first four matches against the Lions, Giants, Crows, and Bombers. However, they subsequently suffered heavy losses to the Hawks, Cats, and Swans, before narrowly losing to the Dockers in their most recent match. Beveridge's men face Port Adelaide in a must-win encounter on Friday night.
