The Australian football community is mourning the sudden and tragic passing of former North Melbourne AFL player Phoenix Spicer, who died on Friday evening, January 2, at the age of 23.
The news broke in a message from Dharna Nicholson-Bux which said: “On behalf of my sister Ky-ya and our family, we are devastated to share that we tragically lost our brother Phoenix Spicer last night. A beautiful, loyal and strong Nunggubuyu man.”
“Phoenix will forever be our beloved uncle and son, a partner to Ky-ya and a second father to Jordy,” the statement continued.
Spicer played 12 games for the Kangaroos after being drafted in the 2020 national draft. He also played 18 games over two seasons for the Footscray Bulldogs in the VFL.
In a statement released by North Melbourne on Saturday evening, club president Dr. Sonja Hood noted that although Phoenix was the only club for a short time, he was a beloved member of the playing group.
The AFL Players Association mourned the loss following Phoenix’s tragic death in a short statement from CEO James Gallagher.
The statement reads: “The AFL Players’ Association is saddened by the passing of our member Phoenix Spicer, who played twelve AFL matches for North Melbourne from 2021 to 2023.”
Spicer completed the agility test in the 2019 SANFL’s Under 18 pre-season in 7.8 seconds, which was the fastest time of any competitor.
Spicer got his first taste of AFL football in the 2021 season when he made his debut in his home state against the Crows.
The loss of a young talent marks a deeply sad moment for the Australian football community, leading to an outpouring of grief from family, teammates and fans across the AFL.
