How the AFL will honour Queen’s passing as league scraps minute’s silence at AFLW games and moves Brownlow Medal night
The decision to scrap the minute’s silence at AFLW matches due to Indigenous Round sensitivities has been met with backlash. Plus, the big Brownlow change locked in.
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Indigenous elder Ian Hunter has slammed the AFL’s decision to not observe a minute’s silence to honour Queen Elizabeth II during this weekend’s AFLW round of football.
The AFLW is celebrating Indigenous round, with a decision being made to scrap the minute’s silence after the league considered sensitivities regarding the issue.
A minute’s silence was held on Friday night before the Western Bulldogs’ win over Fremantle at Ikon Park but will not feature for the remainder of the AFLW round.
Ian Hunter said it was “deeply disrespectful” to not stand for the moment’s silence in honour of Her Majesty.
“It is totally disrespectful to our country who is a part of the British colony, disrespectful, that’s what I’d say,” he said.
“The problem was there was probably one or two individuals going ‘I don’t reckon we should because of it being Indigenous round’.”
A ceremony to mark the monarch’s death, including a minute’s silence, was conducted before the Melbourne-Brisbane men’s semi-final on Friday night. A minute’s silence will again be observed before the Collingwood-Fremantle match at the MCG on Saturday night.
AFL’s Brownlow plan for potential Queen funeral clash
- Sam Landsberger, Glenn McFarlane and Jon Ralph
The Brownlow Medal has been brought forward 24 hours to ensure football’s night of nights won’t clash with Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
While Bucking Palace has not yet locked in Monday, September 19 for Her Majesty’s funeral, it is almost certain to land 10 days after she passed away in Belmoral.
The AFL on Saturday committed to a Sunday night medal count out of respect for the funeral service arrangements, which will command the watery eyes of the world.
“We have had a lot of practice over the last two years at being agile when needed and I want to thank the Seven Network, Crown Melbourne and all our partners for being so accommodating with this decision,” AFL boss Gillon McLachlan said.
“It’s the right one, and we’re incredibly glad to have their support.”
The AFL’s preliminary finals are scheduled next Friday night (September 16) and Saturday week twilight (September 17), with the Brownlow Medal to now follow on Sunday week.
The AFL locked into a minute’s silence ahead of the national anthem - with flags flown at half-mast at the MCG - for the two semi-finals on Friday night and Saturday night.
All other VFL matches this weekend will also be marked with a minute’s silence.
While the AFL was understandably tight-lipped about any potential further changes to its schedule, it is not without precedent.
When Princess Diana was killed in a car accident in 1997, the AFL rescheduled a qualifying final between Adelaide and West Coast from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon so as not to clash with Diana’s funeral, which was beamed live across Australia.
When the Queen’s great grandfather, King Edward VII, died in 1910, the first round of VFL football was abandoned.
The AFL’s outgoing chief executive Gillon McLachlan said he was “deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”
“We extend our sympathies to the Royal Family and the people of the United Kingdom during this very difficult time.
“Her grit, humility and devotion to the Commonwealth will be remembered by all long after her reign. May she rest in peace.”
Queen Elizabeth famously attended the second half of a Richmond-Fitzroy VFL match at the MCG on April 5, 1970, alongside Prince Phillip, Prince Charles and Princess Anne.
They met the players of both sides at half-time of that match in what turned out to be the first league match ever played on a Sunday.
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Special permission had to be granted by the State Government so the game could be staged to work around the Royal Family’s itinerary.
McLachlan said on Friday: “Her Majesty was a woman of the people. This was never more evident than when she attended the 1970 season-opening Richmond v Fitzroy game at the MCG, unfurling Richmond’s 1969 Premiership flag, happily meeting players and eagerly learning about our game.”
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Originally published as How the AFL will honour Queen’s passing as league scraps minute’s silence at AFLW games and moves Brownlow Medal night
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