Giant withdraws after declining pride jumper
Giants player Haneen Zreika will not play this weekend after deciding to wear the team’s pride jumper on religious grounds.
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Greater Western Sydney player and practising Muslim Haneen Zreika will not play this weekend after deciding not to wear the team’s pride jumper on religious grounds.
Zreika, who was the first Islamic player to play AFL Women’s after making her debut in 2019, has grappled with the decision in recent weeks before ultimately withdrawing from Friday’s clash against the Western Bulldogs.
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It is understood that she addressed her teammates earlier this week regarding her decision in what was an emotional and educational session for all players, which includes a number of LGBTQIA+ community members.
It was not a decision that was reached lightly by the 22-year-old, who has been working with the club and the AFL in the lead-up to the game.
She played in the 2021 pride round, but the Giants did not wear a pride jumper. Zreika - who supports her teammates and their beliefs - strives to be a leader within the Muslim community and it is understood that wearing the jumper in Friday’s game could compromise her standing within her community.
She is likely to attend the game at Henson Park.
It has been an unchartered situation for the club, which remains firmly committed to its support of AFLW Pride Round, its specially designed jumper and what it stands for.
“It’s so important and such a big step for our club and our supporters,” Zreika’s teammate Rebecca Privitelli said last week when the jumper was launched.
“I know our girls are really excited to pull on the jumper, it’s a big part of all our lives and I hope our fans feel the same way.
“There’s a lot of young boys and girls out there that need role models to look up to and I think the AFLW are doing an incredible thing to give young women and men that opportunity.”
The AFL has declined to make a comment on Zreika’s decision to miss Friday night’s game.
Last week West Coast was criticised for being the only AFLW team not to wear a Pride jumper.
West Coast general manager of community and game development Richard O’Connell said the club was conscious of not rushing the process for desiging a pride jumper and was focusing this season on releasing its AFLW Indigenous jumper.
The club’s AFLW coach Michael Prior then came under fire for refusing to comment on the issue, saying: “I talk about footy, not what we’re wearing. I think we’ve done the pride stuff to death, to be honest.”
He later apologised to anyone “who was offended by the report”.
ROUND FOUR: TEAMS AND TIPS
In a battle of the unbeaten Collingwood and Fremantle will face-off at Victoira Park with both squads facing line-up changes. The Pies are returning home after a hard-fought win in Geelong while the Dockers came within three points of their highest ever score - and 10 points of the competition’s leading score last week.
Thursday, January 27
Collingwood v Fremantle, Victoria Park, 5.40pm (AEST)
COLLINGWOOD
B: Butler Livingstone
HB: Fowler Schleicher Porter
C: Allen Brown Rowe
HF: Frederick Molloy Cann
F: Alexander Sheridan
Foll: Downie Bonnici Lambert
Inter: Newman Chiocci James O’Dea Casey
Em: Velardo Smith
In: Fowler Brown Chiocci
Out: Smith (omitted), Velardo (omitted), Chaston (omitted)
FREMANTLE
B: Verrier Stannett
HB: Pugh O’Driscoll Low
C: Antonio Bowers Cain
HF: Runnalls Tighe Antonio
F: Houghton Tuhakaraina
Foll: Strom Miller O’Sullivan
Inter: Roux McMahon Hyde Stewart East
Em: Sergeant Webb
In: McMahon Stewart
Out: Sergeant (rested), Toth (managed)
TIPS
Chris Cavanagh 19
Fremantle 1
GWS Giants 6
St Kilda 1
Adelaide 6
Brisbane Lions 12
North Melbourne 12
Gold Coast 1
Collingwood 18
Fremantle 12
Last Week 6
Sarah Jones 18
Fremantle 4
Western Bulldogs 20
St Kilda 12
Melbourne 7
Brisbane Lions 3
North Melbourne 9
Richmond 15
Collingwood 3
Fremantle 4
Last Week 6
Kath Loughnan 18
Fremantle 10
Western Bulldogs 5
West Coast 4
Adelaide 6
Brisbane Lions 15
North Melbourne 11
Richmond 7
Collingwood 17
Fremantle 11
Last Week 6
Liz Walsh 18
Fremantle 13
Western Bulldogs 2
St Kilda 12
Adelaide 3
Brisbane Lions 23
North Melbourne 15
Richmond 8
Collingwood 36
Fremantle 16
Last Week 6
Glenn McFarlane 17
Collingwood 17
Western Bulldogs 7
St Kilda 1
Adelaide 2
Brisbane Lions 15
North Melbourne 9
Richmond 11
Collingwood 20
Fremantle 3
Last Week 6
Chloe Molloy 17
Collingwood
GWS Giants
St Kilda
Adelaide
Brisbane Lions
North Melbourne
Richmond
Collingwood
Fremantle
Last Week 6
Mark Robinson 17
Collingwood 5
Western Bulldogs 15
St Kilda 2
Adelaide 8
Brisbane Lions 5
North Melbourne 12
Richmond 5
Collingwood 29
Fremantle 12
Last Week 5
Matt Turner 17
Collingwood 12
Western Bulldogs 14
St Kilda 3
Adelaide 15
Brisbane Lions 21
North Melbourne 2
Gold Coast 6
Collingwood 9
Fremantle 8
Last Week 5
Ebony Marinoff 16
Collingwood
GWS Giants
West Coast
Adelaide
Brisbane Lions
North Melbourne
Gold Coast
Collingwood
Fremantle
Last Week 6
Rebecca Williams 16
Collingwood 12
GWS Giants 8
West Coast 6
Adelaide 11
Brisbane Lions 14
North Melbourne 15
Richmond 13
Collingwood 10
Fremantle 8
Last Week 5
Lauren Wood 16
Collingwood 9
GWS Giants 11
St Kilda 10
Melbourne 16
Brisbane Lions 3
North Melbourne 19
Richmond 15
Collingwood 8
Fremantle 11
Last Week 5
Ellie Blackburn 15
Fremantle
Western Bulldogs
St Kilda
Adelaide
Brisbane Lions
North Melbourne
Richmond
Collingwood
Western Bulldogs
Last Week 6
Chloe Dalton 14
Fremantle
GWS Giants
St Kilda
Adelaide
Brisbane Lions
North Melbourne
Richmond
Collingwood
Fremantle
Last Week 5
Kate McCarthy 12
Fremantle
Western Bulldogs
St Kilda
Melbourne
Brisbane Lions
North Melbourne
Richmond
Collingwood
Fremantle
Last Week 4
Kiss of Death 1
Fremantle 13
GWS Giants 13
West Coast 13
Melbourne 13
Geelong 13
Carlton 13
Richmond 13
West Coast 13
Western Bulldogs 13
Last Week 0
WA border forces chaotic AFLW fixture shift
- Lauren Wood
The AFL will stage an AFLW double header next Tuesday night as it continues to fixture on the run to combat the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.
Two games originally set for Round 6 and Round 10 — Collingwood v West Coast and Western Bulldogs v Fremantle — have been brought forward to Tuesday, February 1.
Collingwood’s Round 4 clash with Fremantle — which was slated for this Sunday — has been brought forward to Thursday night at Victoria Park.
As well as having to deal with playing squads being struck down by the virus — the Western Bulldogs being one of the teams hardest hit — the league is also working overtime in the wake of Western Australia’s hard line border closure,
The Eagles and the Dockers, who have been based in Victoria for a month of matches, were expecting to fly home in early February.
But WA premier Mark McGowan announced last week he would not be opening the state as expected on February 5.
Banking games for the WA teams has become a priority.
The Bulldogs have played just one of three possible games and two matches – Bulldogs v Suns and Bulldogs v Lions — are still to be scheduled.
The shifting fixture has been proving a major challenge for the semi-professional women’s players and as a result clubs have been providing letters to workplaces for leave requirements, care for children and, in some cases, juggling medical treatments.
“The decision to schedule additional matches to the fixture for Fremantle and the West Coast Eagles was made in close consultation and with strong support from each club following updates to border restrictions relating to Western Australia,” AFL competition boss Laura Kane said.
“We remain cognisant of the outside-football commitments of many players and staff from WA who are currently on the road in Victoria, and we thank them for their commitment and understanding.
“The league will continue to work closely with each club and the AFLPA, and will remain led by the advice of respective state governments and relevant health authorities as we work through arrangements for the coming rounds. I want to thank the AFLPA for working with us to provide the flexibility required to progress the season.”
The Western Bulldogs have been cleared to play in Round 4 after being decimated by covid isolation protocols in recent weeks.
“For the time being, the fixture remains a week-to-week proposition, and as such, we want to thank every AFLW Club, players and the AFLPA, umpires, venues, governments, ticketing agents and all supporters for their understanding,” Kane said.
AFLW fixture chaos continues with more games under threat
The AFL Women’s fixture continues to be a moving feast with at least one game potentially on the move this weekend.
The Herald Sun understands that plans are underway for Friday night’s clash between Gold Coast and Richmond to be moved to Sunday.
The league also has to consider the imminent future of Fremantle and West Coast who remain in Victoria for this weekend’s games, but could have difficulty going home because the WA border is closed.
It comes as two delayed games still remain without times slot - both the Western Bulldogs-Brisbane clash and the Bulldogs-Gold Coast clash have to be rescheduled.
The Lions’ meeting with Gold Coast and the Bulldogs’ clash with Carlton were called off in Round 3.
As part of fixturing on the run, Brisbane will play Carlton on Tuesday night in a rescheduled Round 3 game.
The league has maintained that the fixture remains a week-to-week proposition as it navigates clubs being hit by covid isolation protocols and also border rules.
It says it will be led by the advice of respective state governments and health officials.
With travel plans to consider, it is endeavouring to make decisions as quickly as possible in order to allow clubs and players - many of whom work and study - adequate planning time.
The Dogs have played just one game this season after weeks of being affected by isolation rules that decimated its playing stocks.
“Disappointed not to play again this weekend but absolutely the right decision for our team’s health and safety,” skipper Ellie Blackburn posted on Instagram on Sunday.
“We’re even more disappointed to not play with it being Pride Round, something our club takes great pride in being a part of.”
Originally published as Giant withdraws after declining pride jumper
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