- There are fears for his well-being after his separation from his ex-wife and the custody battle
- She has made a public appearance looking happy and healthy.
- For assistance, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636
Former Collingwood star and The Block contestant Darren Jolly has made a rare public appearance looking happy and healthy following his highly publicised personal struggles.
Jolly was at the MCG for the Pies’ clash with Geelong as part of the 10-year reunion of the Rat Pack, who famously won the AFL championship in 2010.
The reunion included many familiar faces including former manager Mick Malthouse, Dale ‘Daisy’ Thomas, Dane Swan and current players Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom.
It was a case of better late than never, as the original 10-year reunion was delayed due to COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 and the challenges of getting all the famous faces back together, including Jolly.
Jolly’s career took the scenic route, starting out as a second-row ruckman in Melbourne before rising to prominence in Sydney and confirming his status as one of the best ruckmen of the 2000s at Collingwood.
A man who covered ground well for his size and was adept at switching into the forward position, Jolly caused headaches for opposing managers with his height and heading prowess.
He was a model of durability, playing 142 consecutive games between 2005 and 2011, and is remembered by Collingwood fans as one of the keys to their 2010 championship triumph.
However, the two-time Premier League star’s life spiralled out of control after he split from his wife of 15 years, Deanne Jolly, in 2019.
Jolly, far right, was at the MCG for the reunion of the 2010 championship-winning ‘Rat Pack’.
Jolly and his new partner Lucy welcomed their first child into the world in 2020
Darren and Deanne were popular contestants on The Block, appearing twice in 2014 and 2015, and winning the latter season.
Following their breakup, the exes were embroiled in a bitter custody battle, with Darren even contemplating suicide.
Jolly went public with his new girlfriend Lucy in November 2020 when he posted a loved-up selfie on Instagram of the couple on holiday, which coincided with his birthday.
A month earlier, Darren had shocked the AFL community when he shared a worrying post on Instagram in which he said he could not “carry on for much longer”.
Several people called Victoria Police to ask them to carry out a welfare check.
After spending hours trying to contact him, his manager Paul Connors said the former Collingwood Premiership player had been found safe and well at around 8.30pm that night, almost two hours after the worrying post.
He thanked everyone for their help in sharing the calls for help in finding him.
As Darren’s footballers and family flocked to support him, among those helping was also Lucy, who was praised by Darren’s mother for her “concerted efforts” to help.
“Firstly, we would like to thank Lucy for her concerted efforts,” Jacinta Jolly wrote in an emotional Facebook post.
“As parents, this has been the scariest 24 hours we have ever had to endure. He is safe and receiving the best care he needs at this time.”
Unfortunately, the Magpies were unable to secure the victory they so desperately needed for the occasion.
In a back-and-forth game in front of 73,435 fans at the MCG on Friday, the Cats stepped up when they needed to in the final quarter to see off the Magpies and claim a 13.13 (91) to 10.11 (71) victory.
Geelong (44 points) jumps into third place with its third straight win, ahead of Fremantle and Essendon, who are yet to play, while Collingwood (36 points) sits 10th, with its finals hopes on the brink.
For confidential support, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636