AFL ‘legend’ Barry Cable facing civil action over allegations of historic sexual abuse

A legend of Australian football is being sued over historical sexual abuse allegations dating back to a period when he was one of the stars of the game.

Barry Cable has denied the allegations and has never been charged by police.

AFL Hall of Fame Legend Barry Cable is being sued over allegations he sexually abused a Perth teenager at the height of his playing career.

The shocking allegations against Cable can now be published after a District Court of Western Australia judge lifted a series of suppression orders ahead of a civil trial to begin on Wednesday.

The 79-year-old – who is regarded as one of the game’s greatest rovers – has denied the allegations and has never been charged by police.

The woman, who cannot be named, commenced proceedings in 2019 and claims that between 1968 – when she was aged just 12 year’s old – until 1973 she was sexually abused by Cable.

The allegations against Barry Cable can now be published after a District Court of Western Australia judge lifted a series of suppression orders. Picture: Tony Gough

The claim filed with the court alleges that Cable told the girl he would be a “good coach for her” in being a “big hit with men” and referred to his genitalia as a “totem pole”.

In one shocking allegation, Cable is accused of attempting to rape the girl inside the Perth Football Club changerooms.

She is claiming $855,171.61 – $1,069,178.40 in damages for psychiatric harm, medical treatment and loss of earnings, and has also claimed that she was subject to sexual harassment from 1974 until 1991.

The court was told that Cable has been declared bankrupt and there will be no funds available if there is a judgment for any costs.

In his defence he has cited playing in the 1977 VFL grand final which was drawn and had to be replayed the next week as a reason he did not carry out one of the alleged assaults.

In lifting the suppression orders that had been in place for four years, Judge Mark Herron said they were in his view “no longer relevant or necessary”.

The court heard Cable would not take part in the upcoming five-day trial.

Cable is regarded as one of the game’s greatest rovers.

Lawyer Michael Magazanik of Rightside Legal, who is representing the woman, said she was relieved to finally have her claim heard in court after more than 50 years.

“She’s looking forward to giving evidence, she’s undeterred by recent events and by the four years of legal wrangling, and she’s looking forward to having a claim heard by a West Australian judge,” Mr Magazanik said.

“In 2018, when the laws changed in Western Australia, abolishing time limits for abuse survivors, she contacted me and we began work on her behalf.

“She’s lived with this matter for more than 50 years and she’s just very pleased that it’s drawing to a close now, and she gets a chance to tell her story in a courtroom tomorrow.”

Cable was one of the greatest players of his era and is regarded as a footy legend in two states. After dominating the West Australian Football League with Perth, Cable moved to North Melbourne where he was one of the Kangaroos’ most dominant players in one of the club’s most successful era.

He won two premierships with the Kangaroos (1975 and 1977), was the club’s best-and-fairest player in 1970 and was named in North Melbourne’s Team of the Century.

He was inducted into the Australian football Hall of Fame in 1996 and elevated to legend status in 2012 – an accolade so far awarded to only 32 players in the game’s history.

In WA, he won the WAFL’s Brownlow Medal equivalent – the Sandover Medal – three times and played in four premierships.

A silky left footer, he was also one of the sport’s most creative handballers, and was one of the fittest players of his era.

He is also a legend in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

Originally published as AFL ‘legend’ Barry Cable facing civil action over allegations of historic sexual abuse