AFL appeal board lashed for ‘baffling’ statement on homophobic slurs following Lance Collard case

High-powered AFL bosses are privately seething following the Lance Collard case that reached an explosive conclusion at the appeals board on Thursday night.

Collard — the St Kilda player who had been banned for nine weeks (two weeks suspended) after he was found guilty of calling an opponent a “f***ing f****t” in a VFL game last month — had his suspension downgraded and slashed to two weeks, with the initial penalty called manifestly excessive.

But it is not the downgrading of the suspension that has caused a storm, but the reasoning behind it which was put in a statement and published in full on the AFL’s website.

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The most alarming and incredulous part was this: “We observe that football is a hard game. It is highly competitive, particularly at its higher levels. It is commonplace that players can employ language from time to time which is racist, sexist or homophobic whilst on the field.”

The other part of the reasoning for reducing the ban was this: “The recipient of the remark, Hipwell, was not offended by the comment.”

It is a staggering, if not offensive, take from the board (comprising of Will Houghton KC (chair), and Georgina Coghlan KC and former AFL player Stephen Jurica) given the AFL has been trying to eradicate racist, sexist or homophobic comments from the game.

Lance Collard has had his original ban reduced by the AFL appeals board. Credit: Getty

On Friday, high-level meetings took place as concerned AFL bosses determined their next steps. Later that afternoon a statement was issued from AFL boss Andrew Dillon (read the full statement below) strongly condemning the board’s reasonings.

AFL Players’ Association chief executive James Gallagher also issued a statement saying the union is “deeply concerned”.

Meanwhile, Channel 7’s AFL Kate McCarthy was in shock after she read the appeal board’s statement.

“I am genuinely speechless that this is in print … Absolutely baffled,” she said on social media, while highlighting the offending words “the fact the victim was was not personally offended”.

“It gets worse,” she added, sharing a screenshot of the statement.

Sports reporter Anna Harrington called it “grim” while veteran AFL journalist Gerard Whateley said the decision “makes no sense whatsoever”.

Former AFLW star Steph Chiocci called it a joke.

“This is cooked,” Chiocci said.

“Let’s call it what it is – a joke. A sad, backwards, disappointing joke. Might go to work today and abuse students and colleagues; teaching is a hard profession so obviously it can happen from time to time,” she sarcastically added.

Whateley called it “a gross overreach” of the panel’s role.

“To dismiss the appeal but then reduce the sentence from seven to two … still guilty, but two weeks? That doesn’t line up with anything that the AFL has done,” he said.

“This feels outside the remit of the appeal board, frankly, in the way it has operated traditionally. That’s a very odd verdict — it’s been an incredibly difficult space, and I haven’t envied anyone’s involvement in it from beginning to end, but that is incredibly unsatisfactory.”

Former Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley, who is now working in media, said: “I can’t come to terms with the decision there.”

Hinkley was coach when Jeremy Finlayson was suspended for three matches in 2024 for making a homophobic slur towards an Essendon player.

Last year Jack Graham (West Coast) and Izak Rankine (Adelaide) both received four-game bans for using homophobic slurs, and the year before Gold Coast’s Wil Powell copped a five-game ban for the offence.

In 2024 Collard served a six-game ban for two “unprompted and highly offensive homophobic slurs” (also in the VFL) to which he admitted guilt and apologised.

The decision on Thursday brought the matter to a close almost four weeks after the incident took place in a VFL match on March 27.

But St Kilda have called for greater consistency and clarity in the AFL tribunal system after a drawn-out process.

“The club remains focused on supporting Lance throughout what has been a challenging period and asks for his privacy as he makes his return to play,” St Kilda said in a statement.

“Despite the reduction in sanction, St Kilda remains disappointed with how the matter was assessed and believes greater consistency and clarity in the AFL’s tribunal process is important moving forward.”

Andrew Dillon’s full statement on appeal board’s Collard call

The AFL has reflected further on the outcome and reasons of the AFL Appeals Board in the matter involving St Kilda player Lance Collard last night.

At the Disciplinary Tribunal that first heard the matter, the AFL sought a 10-week suspension for Collard, noting that Collard had in 2024 admitted and been sanctioned (by a six-match suspension) for using the same slur. Ultimately a nine-week suspension was imposed.

That suspension reflected the seriousness of using a homophobic slur on the field and was intended to set a clear standard for our game, particularly given it was a second offence.

The Appeals Board last night imposed a four-week suspension, with two matches suspended until the end of next year. In the AFL’s view, stronger action was not only warranted – it was necessary.

Let’s be clear: homophobia has no place in Australian football. Not at any level. Not under any circumstances.

The AFL specifically rejects the Appeals Board’s reasoning which stated, “it is commonplace that players can employ language from time to time which is racist, sexist or homophobic whilst on the field”.

The AFL strongly rejects the statement not only that such language is commonplace, but also any implication that may be a factor in determining the severity of the sanction.

We will not accept, excuse or normalise behaviour and language that demeans, discriminates or vilifies people based on who they are.

We acknowledge there are always broader considerations in these matters, and they must be handled with care. But they do not override the responsibility everyone has to meet the standards of the game.

We are clear on where we stand.

Respect and inclusion are not optional in our game – they are fundamental.

The AFL has communicated its concerns in relation to these matters to the Appeals Board members.

AFLPA CEO James Gallagher statement

We are deeply concerned by statements made by the AFL Appeals Board when arriving at its decision on Thursday night.

The AFLPA does not accept the suggestion that vilification is “commonplace” on the field between players.

No matter how hard or competitive the game is, there is no excuse for racist, sexist, or homophobic language and this language is hurtful to communities beyond the individual it is directed at.

Every step of this process has caused more harm to the LGBTQIA+ community, the First Nations community, and the individuals at the centre of this issue and that is something the industry must deeply reflect on.

We have a shared responsibility to develop an approach that is fair, minimises and remedies the harms caused, and shifts behaviour.

Football is for everyone and all players and the AFLPA remain committed to playing our part in building a culture where everyone is valued, respected, and safe.

– With AAP