{"id":70149,"date":"2025-08-15T11:59:11","date_gmt":"2025-08-15T11:59:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/70149\/"},"modified":"2025-08-15T11:59:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-15T11:59:11","slug":"red-faced-brisbane-lions-delete-bizarre-afl-rising-star-article-after-fan-backlash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/70149\/","title":{"rendered":"Red-faced Brisbane Lions delete bizarre AFL Rising Star article after fan backlash"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Brisbane Lions<\/a> have pulled down a somewhat bizarre and embarrassing article which ranted about the AFL\u2019s Rising Star award<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The article, which was published on the club\u2019s website and promoted on the Lions\u2019 social media channels, spruiked son-of-a-gun Levi Ashcroft for the award, but also hinted that some sort of conspiracy theory was at play.<\/p>\n

Bookmakers, media and even the AFL were all in the firing line as the opinion piece \u2014 which was published without an author\u2019s name \u2014 hit out at what it called an \u201cannual problem that confronts the northern states\u201d.<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today \"Download<\/a><\/p>\n

Ashcroft is the son of Lions great, Marcus Ashcroft, and the No.5 draft pick has had a sensational first season in the AFL<\/a> \u2014 which no one denies.<\/p>\n

But he sits third favourite with the bookmakers behind Adelaide utility Dan Curtin and Fremantle forward Murphy Reid, dropping behind the top two who have been flying home recently and making strong impressions on the AFL world.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a tight race and the players are all very different. Curtin, the favourite, is a second-year player and has sublime marking skills, while Reid plays in the more difficult role and has 22 goals for the season.<\/p>\n

\"YoungYoung guns Murphy Reid, Levi Ashcroft and Dan Curtin have all had brilliant seasons. Credit: AAP<\/p>\n

It should also be noted that they have all held their place in very strong teams.<\/p>\n

But the unknown author of the article had multiple issues, particularly with Curtin\u2019s status as the bookies\u2019 favourite, as well as the rules around the award that allow a second-year player to be eligible.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe decision by the bookmakers to drop Ashcroft in the betting is part of an annual problem that confronts the northern states. There is next to no media support in Queensland for the Lions star while the South Australian media are all over Curtin and the West Australian media likewise for Reid,\u201d the mystery writer said.<\/p>\n

\u201cCurtin, a second-year player at Adelaide at 20, but eligible for the Rising Star Award because he played only seven games last year, has averaged 13.5 possessions, 6.7 contested possessions, 1.9 clearances and 3.4 tackles, with an average player rating of 10.13.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut through the first nine games he was going at 9.3 possessions, 4.4 contested possessions, 0,4 clearances and 2.3 tackles, with a rating of 8.00.<\/p>\n

\u201cReid, a legitimate first-year player at 19, has averaged 14.0 possessions, 5.3 contested possessions and 5.4 score involvements in 21 games, and has kicked 22 goals.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, significantly, after kicking four goals on debut in Round 1, he\u2019s been a multiple goal-kicker only twice \u2014 he kicked four against Port Adelaide in Round 11 and 2 against Port last weekend.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t help, either, that Queensland is the only state not represented on a judging panel which is headed by AFL CEO Andrew Dillon and now includes new football boss Greg Swann, in-house football (staffers) Kevin Sheehan and Laura Kane, plus Nathan Buckley, Eddie Betts and Abbey Holmes, plus Perth-based Glenn Jakovich and Matthew Pavlich, Adelaide-based Kane Cornes and Sydney-based Jude Bolton.\u201d<\/p>\n

Including Swann in the argument was particularly intriguing given Swann was Brisbane\u2019s CEO this year and has only just started at AFL HQ.<\/p>\n

While the article was deleted, a social media post was still visible at the time of writing (as was the fans\u2019 reaction).<\/p>\n

\u201cIs this real or some kind of deep fake punk on us all? Surely this isn\u2019t real,\u201d one fan said about the article.<\/p>\n

\u201cJesus, this is grim,\u201d another said.<\/p>\n

And another: \u201cThis is disgusting Brisbane. Can the author of this have some dignity to actually name themselves in the byline?\u201d<\/p>\n

And another: \u201cWhat an embarrassing article to post.\u201d<\/p>\n

The backlash kept coming in a flurry, with one observer sarcastically noting that the \u201cfeedback on this is going well\u201d.<\/p>\n

Another said: \u201cI hope Freo pump them tonight, this is the most pathetic stuff I\u2019ve ever seen \ud83d\ude2d.\u201d<\/p>\n

And another: \u201cThis is embarrassing \ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course, clubs are allowed to have a biased take, but to hint that others are not professional and impartial is, needless to say, a dangerous game.<\/p>\n

Fans were also angered by the fact that the reporter was anonymous \u2014 it is common practice in media to put a name on a comment piece and that should be no different in clubland.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho wrote this? This is shocking!! So unbelievably biased and pulling random stats and ignoring others just to suit a narrative. Do better,\u201d one fan said.<\/p>\n

And another: \u201cThis is genuinely embarrassing and, if anything, might actually hurt Levi\u2019s reputation. Everyone knows he\u2019s a gun but there are plenty of eligible guns in contention for the rising star. He\u2019s not owed the award.\u201d<\/p>\n

And another: \u201cI have money on him, but I hope he loses now. This is the most embarrassing thing I\u2019ve seen an AFLclub do in a very long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

An AFL spokesperson told 7NEWS.com.au that they were unaware of the article.<\/p>\n

Brisbane have had multiple winners of the Rising Star award with Nathan Buckley (1993) and Chris Scott (1994) winning it when the club was still the Bears.<\/p>\n

This century another two Lions players have been crowned the Rising Star \u2014 Daniel Rich in 2009 and Lewis Taylor (2014) \u2014 making Brisbane the clubhouse leader with the most \u2018official\u2019 Rising Stars in the competition.<\/p>\n

Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle are equal second the table with three apiece, while the Western Bulldogs and the GWS Giants are the only clubs without a Rising Star winner.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Clear \u2018standout\u2019 emerges in race for AFL Rising Star<\/p>\n

2 min read<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

AFL captain denies \u2018disgusting\u2019 rumour about personal life<\/p>\n

2 min read<\/p>\n

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