St Kilda forward Lance Collard faces a reduced two-match suspension after the AFL appeals board slashed his original nine-week ban for using a homophobic slur during a VFL match. The board upheld the guilty finding for conduct unbecoming but deemed the initial penalty manifestly excessive, imposing additional suspended weeks instead.
Appeals Board Reasoning Sparks Outrage
The panel, chaired by King’s Counsel Will Houghton, justified the lighter sanction by noting football’s competitive nature. “We observe that football is a hard game. It is highly competitive, particularly at its higher levels,” the board stated. It further remarked, “It is commonplace that players can employ language from time to time which is racist, sexist or homophobic whilst on the field.”
Mitigating factors included Collard’s youth, background, and the opponent’s lack of offense. The board described a nine-week ban as “crippling” to his professional career, especially given evidence that it could end his playing days. It also viewed his prior 2024 six-week suspension for a similar slur as more serious than this incident.
AFL CEO’s Strong Rebuttal
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon condemned the decision, emphasizing zero tolerance for discrimination. “In the AFL’s view, stronger action was not only warranted, it was necessary,” Dillon stated. “Let’s be clear – homophobia has no place in Australian football. Not at any level. Not under any circumstances.”
Dillon specifically rejected the board’s language: “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.” The league plans a formal response to the board’s explanation, viewing it as undermining anti-discrimination efforts.
Reactions from Players and Commentators
Former AFLW player and presenter Kate McCarthy expressed shock: “I am genuinely speechless that this is in print … absolutely baffled. So much for every policy in the AFL saying there’s zero tolerance. This decision and this explanation of this decision go against everything that the AFL has claimed to stand for. This is disgusting.”
Ex-St Kilda midfielder Luke Ball questioned the outdated reasoning: “To say that these things happen on a footy field from time to time … I thought we’d well and truly moved past that. I can’t get my head around the language that the appeals board have used.”
Incident Details and Club Response
The slur targeted Frankston’s Darby Hipwell amid a confrontation; witnesses confirmed the remark despite Collard’s denial—he claimed he said “Come here, maggot.” Collard also received a separate two-match ban for striking, totaling four weeks sidelined.
St Kilda welcomed the reduction but called for improvements: “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.”
This case highlights ongoing scrutiny of the AFL tribunal system, following recent appeals controversies.
