GEELONG captain Joel Selwood has revealed he was made aware post-match of comments directed at Mitch Clark during the Easter Monday clash against Hawthorn.
Playing his first AFL game since round four, 2013, Clark was the subject of dialogue from Hawthorn players relating to his past 12 months out of the game.
Speaking to Channel Nine, Selwood confirmed he and Clark had discussed the matter after the Hawks' 62-point win.
"I was unaware of it at the time of the game being played," Selwood said.
"I have had a discussion with him since the game, there was things brought up about it but we've had discussions before with Mitch and we understand this might be a possibility to come up."
Selwood said Clark was as prepared as possible for the comments that would come his way relating to his well-known battle with clinical depression.
"He's in a really good head space now and the way that he's come to our football club and the impact he's had on our football club already has been huge," he said.
"Personally, I wouldn't be going out there and saying it but if people choose to do it then he's ready for it.
"We're playing a team (Hawthorn) that is ruthless, that are the best team in the league at the moment. You probably expect it to come."
Hawthorn defender Josh Gibson said it was the first he had heard of the incident.
"It's an illness so I don't know if we should be going there," Gibson told Channel Nine.
"I played at that end of the ground and I didn't hear anything like that being said but I wasn't standing next to him to whole day. It's the first I've heard about it.
"What Joel's said that it's an ongoing issue for him.
"You (Geelong) guys have spoken with him and the club and they've probably put things in place to prepare him to hear things like that but you don't want to be hearing that on the field when it's a topic as delicate as that."
Clark told the Geelong website this week it was still an ongoing battle.
"I'm still working through a lot of things, I'm nowhere near cured," he said.
"Some people might see that I've come back to the game pretty quick after stepping away but the most important thing for me was to actually get that separation from the game.
"I still work with my doctor regularly and still take medication every day. I'm still working through a lot and footy's just a part of that."
The 27-year-old announced his retirement from football in April 2014 while playing with Melbourne, after being diagnosed with clinical depression.
He revealed his wish to return to the AFL in September, cutting ties with Melbourne and was recruited to Geelong in October.
If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health issues please contact LifeLine.
