West Coast's Jack Graham banned over homophobic slur
The AFL announced the ban on Sunday after finding Graham guilty of conduct unbecoming over the incident during the July 4 match won by GWS at Optus Stadium.
The league said the incident was self-reported by Graham to his club, who reported it to the AFL on Friday morning, prompting an AFL integrity unit investigation. "Graham used a highly offensive homophobic slur against a GWS Giants opponent, which demeans and denigrates persons regardless of their sexuality," the AFL said in a statement.
The league said it took into account Graham's self-reporting of the incident, along with his private apology and contrition. Graham also rang the AFL CEO directly to apologise.
A two-time premiership player with Richmond before joining the Eagles, 27-year-old Graham will also have to undertake Pride in Sport education.
"I am very remorseful for the word I used and know such language has no place in our community or our game," Graham said in a club statement.
"I have offered my unreserved apology to the Giants player and Greater Western Sydney and would also like to publicly apologise for my comment.
"What I said does not reflect my values or our club values. I made a mistake and need to be better and will prove that through my actions going forward."
West Coast CEO Don Pyke said Graham had been honest in addressing the matter and understood its harmful effects.
"Player welfare was front of mind throughout the process and we were in regular contact with the Giants following the match and earlier this week around this situation," he added.
"With no match day report being lodged, both clubs agreed the appropriate course of action was to refer the matter to the AFL."
AFL head of integrity and security Tony Keane said: "The AFL is very clear that homophobia has no place in our game, nor in the community.
"We have come a long way as a code, but this incident demonstrates there is so much more to be done, and we will continue to work together to improve our game as a safe and inclusive environment for all.
"Graham's sanction would have been higher if he hadn't self-reported and understood his comment was totally inappropriate."
The Graham incident comes after three AFL players were suspended for using homophobic slurs last season.
Gold Coast defender Wil Powell (five matches) and Port Adelaide forward Jeremy Finlayson (three) served bans over incidents in AFL matches.
St Kilda's Lance Collard served a six-match penalty for "unprompted and highly offensive" slurs towards two Williamstown players in a VFL game.
West Coast midfielder Jack Graham has been suspended by the AFL for four matches for using a homophobic slur against an opponent.
The AFL announced the ban on Sunday after finding Graham guilty of conduct unbecoming over the incident during the July 4 match won by GWS at Optus Stadium.
The league said the incident was self-reported by Graham to his club, who reported it to the AFL on Friday morning, prompting an AFL integrity unit investigation. "Graham used a highly offensive homophobic slur against a GWS Giants opponent, which demeans and denigrates persons regardless of their sexuality," the AFL said in a statement.
The league said it took into account Graham's self-reporting of the incident, along with his private apology and contrition. Graham also rang the AFL CEO directly to apologise.
A two-time premiership player with Richmond before joining the Eagles, 27-year-old Graham will also have to undertake Pride in Sport education.
"I am very remorseful for the word I used and know such language has no place in our community or our game," Graham said in a club statement.
"I have offered my unreserved apology to the Giants player and Greater Western Sydney and would also like to publicly apologise for my comment.
"What I said does not reflect my values or our club values. I made a mistake and need to be better and will prove that through my actions going forward."
West Coast CEO Don Pyke said Graham had been honest in addressing the matter and understood its harmful effects.
"Player welfare was front of mind throughout the process and we were in regular contact with the Giants following the match and earlier this week around this situation," he added.
"With no match day report being lodged, both clubs agreed the appropriate course of action was to refer the matter to the AFL."
AFL head of integrity and security Tony Keane said: "The AFL is very clear that homophobia has no place in our game, nor in the community.
"We have come a long way as a code, but this incident demonstrates there is so much more to be done, and we will continue to work together to improve our game as a safe and inclusive environment for all.
"Graham's sanction would have been higher if he hadn't self-reported and understood his comment was totally inappropriate."
The Graham incident comes after three AFL players were suspended for using homophobic slurs last season.
Gold Coast defender Wil Powell (five matches) and Port Adelaide forward Jeremy Finlayson (three) served bans over incidents in AFL matches.
St Kilda's Lance Collard served a six-match penalty for "unprompted and highly offensive" slurs towards two Williamstown players in a VFL game.
West Coast midfielder Jack Graham has been suspended by the AFL for four matches for using a homophobic slur against an opponent.
The AFL announced the ban on Sunday after finding Graham guilty of conduct unbecoming over the incident during the July 4 match won by GWS at Optus Stadium.
The league said the incident was self-reported by Graham to his club, who reported it to the AFL on Friday morning, prompting an AFL integrity unit investigation. "Graham used a highly offensive homophobic slur against a GWS Giants opponent, which demeans and denigrates persons regardless of their sexuality," the AFL said in a statement.
The league said it took into account Graham's self-reporting of the incident, along with his private apology and contrition. Graham also rang the AFL CEO directly to apologise.
A two-time premiership player with Richmond before joining the Eagles, 27-year-old Graham will also have to undertake Pride in Sport education.
"I am very remorseful for the word I used and know such language has no place in our community or our game," Graham said in a club statement.
"I have offered my unreserved apology to the Giants player and Greater Western Sydney and would also like to publicly apologise for my comment.
"What I said does not reflect my values or our club values. I made a mistake and need to be better and will prove that through my actions going forward."
West Coast CEO Don Pyke said Graham had been honest in addressing the matter and understood its harmful effects.
"Player welfare was front of mind throughout the process and we were in regular contact with the Giants following the match and earlier this week around this situation," he added.
"With no match day report being lodged, both clubs agreed the appropriate course of action was to refer the matter to the AFL."
AFL head of integrity and security Tony Keane said: "The AFL is very clear that homophobia has no place in our game, nor in the community.
"We have come a long way as a code, but this incident demonstrates there is so much more to be done, and we will continue to work together to improve our game as a safe and inclusive environment for all.
"Graham's sanction would have been higher if he hadn't self-reported and understood his comment was totally inappropriate."
The Graham incident comes after three AFL players were suspended for using homophobic slurs last season.
Gold Coast defender Wil Powell (five matches) and Port Adelaide forward Jeremy Finlayson (three) served bans over incidents in AFL matches.
St Kilda's Lance Collard served a six-match penalty for "unprompted and highly offensive" slurs towards two Williamstown players in a VFL game.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Australian
an hour ago
- The Australian
AFL: Essendon high performance boss Sean Murphy sacked
The Essendon injury crisis has resulted in the club parting ways with the head of high performance five weeks before the end of a disastrous season. Sean Murphy was out of contract at the end of the season and days after Bombers coach Brad Scott said the club would 'reallocate resources' to player health, the man responsible for fitness has been moved on. It comes just hours after Essendon fielded a 13th debutant for 2025 in a 48-point loss to GWS on Thursday night. They were without 16 players for the clash after Nate Caddy, Ben Hobbs, Will Setterfield and Nic Martin joined a long list of sidelined players this week. But after 'discussions between Murphy and the club', it was agreed the fitness boss would not continue beyond this year. 'We want to thank Sean for his commitment to this role over the past six seasons at the Essendon Football Club,' Essendon football boss Daniel McPherson said. Will Setterfield and Nic Martin are on the lengthy Essendon injury list. Picture:'These jobs are all-encompassing and on behalf of the Essendon Football Club, I want to thank Sean for the professionalism and integrity that he has carried himself with, particularly throughout what has been a really challenging season in 2025. 'Our high performance and medical team is critical to the success of our football program, and we're committed to undertaking all necessary work required to help us improve in this area. This decision enables us to take a fresh approach and reshape the team as we prepare for a crucial off-season ahead of the 2026 AFL campaign.' Murphy joined the Bombers ahead of the 2020 season and has been in charge for the past six seasons. Before losing to GWS, Scott said change was needed. 'I do have the utmost confidence in the people who are looking at our program, (but) there's no doubt we will relocate resources to that space,' he said. 'We know better than anyone this year how important it is to get your players out fit and available.'
Perth Now
3 hours ago
- Perth Now
Hard lessons just the tonic for stumbling NSW Swifts
Losses are never fun, but NSW Swifts coach Briony Akle is confident her team's poor end to the regular season will hold her players in good stead for their major semi-final against West Coast Fever in Perth. The Swifts were the benchmark team for most of the Super Netball season after opening their campaign with eight straight wins. Their run started with a 67-49 demolition of the Fever in round one, and they were aiming for nine victories in a row by the time they faced the Fever again in round nine. But Fever's 79-68 win on enemy territory sparked the start of a big drop in form for the Swifts, who ended the regular season with four losses from their final six games. NSW's struggles were highlighted in the final round, when they needed extra time to scrape past the last-placed Queensland Firebirds. West Coast (12-2) are on a 12-match winning streak and will start as hot favourites against the Swifts (10-4) in front of more than 13,000 screaming fans at RAC Arena. But Akle feels her team's tough run-in to the finals will prove to be a blessing in disguise. "I feel like a run of nine (victories) is amazing, but it doesn't teach you a lot. I feel like our losses have really taught us a lot," Akle said. "We've gone back to look at how we can be better in those clutch moments. "We've had hard training sessions, really good feedback to each other, and I think these guys are ready to face the Fever." Sunday's blockbuster will feature the two best goal shooters in the league. At one end is Fever superstar Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard, who has scored a competition-high 724 goals this season despite missing the first two rounds. The Swifts boast New Zealand star Grace Nweke, who has scored 718 goals in a standout first season of Super Netball. "I feel like it will be the battle of the one-point game, and who is going to break first," Akle said. "And it may come down to the Super Shot in the end for both teams. "I think it will be exciting. It will come down to that last quarter and that last five minutes I think." The Swifts are still sweating on the fitness of co-captain Paige Hadley (foot), who missed the win over the Firebirds. The winner of the major semi-final will go straight into the August 2 decider in Melbourne, with the loser relegated to a home preliminary final. The minor semi on Sunday pits two-time defending champions Adelaide Thunderbirds up against last year's beaten grand finalists Melbourne Vixens in Adelaide. The losers of that match are eliminated, with the winners progressing to the preliminary final. Meanwhile, Giants inaugural coach Julie Fitzgerald has stepped down from her role following the team's sixth-placed finish this year. Fitzgerald's National League coaching career, which spans just shy of three decades, includes five premierships across stints with the Sydney Swifts and NSW Swifts, the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic in New Zealand, and the Giants. Under Fitzgerald's guidance, the Giants claimed two minor premierships, played in two grand finals, and reached the finals in four of the past nine seasons.
News.com.au
4 hours ago
- News.com.au
Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick will send Mac Andrew to Adelaide goalkicker Riley Thilthorpe after they clashed in round 4
Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick is excited for the rematch between Suns star defender Mac Andrew and giant Adelaide goalkicker Riley Thilthorpe despite the likelihood things could get fiery again in one of the matches of the round. The pair of young stars got up close and personal in a feisty aftermath of the Suns' one-point win in round 4 after Thilthorpe gave away a late free kick and Andrew went straight at him as the final siren sounded, getting in his face. Andrew copped some criticism for his behaviour, but Hardwick declared on Friday the rematch was on, and it could be a contest the two go at for the next decade, with both teams emerging as the next wave of regular finals contenders. 'It's great for the game,' Hardwick said on Friday of the impending match-up. 'They are two combative, competitive players. And that's the thing we love about sport, you know, the competitive nature of individuals and it's what they bring. 'They'll play on each other predominantly this week, but they'll be playing on each other for the next 10 to 12 years I'd imagine, which is really exciting not only for Adelaide and, you know, the Gold Coast Suns, (but) for the AFL in general. 'They're going to be outstanding players, if not outstanding players already. So they're well acquainted and now they'll continue that this week.' The Suns are backing up from last week's stirring win over ladder-leaders Collingwood that Hardwick said cemented 'belief' that his team was a legitimate contender with a first finals campaign on the horizon. But Hardwick, who won three premierships with Richmond, said it didn't mean his players could take their foot off the gas, and that was the message being driven home. 'One of the things we've been consistently speaking about is breaking that narrative of we're not the old Gold Coast Suns, we're the brand new Suns and what that looks like,' he said. 'So we control that narrative. It's our story to write, and that's the most important thing about our players. If they continually focus on the next shift, we're going to be OK. 'If we allow ourselves to drift too much in the future or get dragged down by the past, that's when we're going to find ourselves in trouble. 'But just keep worrying about where your feet are right now and let's make sure we keep playing our style of game and just focus on that next shift mentality.' The Suns will take on the Crows without inured star Touk Miller, who Hardwick labelled 'irreplaceable', even more so heading to the Adelaide Oval where the Suns have never won. 'No greater challenge against what I think is probably the best form team in the competition at the moment,' he said. 'It's going to be a challenge for us. We're playing in a hostile environment. We've never won at this ground. We're playing against the form side, so we're looking forward to it. 'And, you know, once again, we'll bring our best and hopefully prevail at the end.'
