Fevola released from rehab | The West Australian

NICK RYNNEThe West Australian The future of Brisbane Lions star Brendan Fevola should be decided in the next week after the troubled forward finished his seven-week stay at a psychiatric

care facility today. Fevola will return to the Lions in the next few days to begin talks with a view to resurrecting his AFL career. But the Lions' interest is believed to have waned

since trading the forward from Carlton at the end of 2009. Arriving at the club with a promise to reform his wild ways, Fevola's stint at Brisbane has been far from trouble-free. Along

with an admission of crippling gambling problems and investigations into an incident with a mother during one a community visit, he is still facing a charge of obstructing police. The club

and the league have yet to gaurantee another lifeline for Fevola. It is believed the Lions would be keen to cut ties with the former Coleman medallist provided his payout would not be too

crippling on their already-stretched salary cap. Fevola's manager Alastair Lynch told News Ltd his client knew there was a lot of work to be done before he could return to the field.

"He is determined to do whatever is needed to win back the trust of the football club," Lynch said. "We realise we need structures in place that will help him through the next

stage of his life, which could mean life without football. "Football is important to him. All he wants to do is play football, all he has ever wanted to do is play football."

Lynch said he feared the direction Fevola's life could take without the comfortable surrounds of a football club. "We were really worried about him, he was in a very dark

place," Lynch said. "What football provides is certainty for his future, the structured existence of a professional environment and the support network of a team around him."

When asked yesterday, Brisbane coach Michael Voss remained unsure whether troubled star forward Brendan Fevola would play this AFL season. GET THE LATEST NEWS FROM THEWEST.COM.AU IN YOUR

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