Dani Laidley slams AFL over homophobia as Riak Andrew to be cited for using slur
Dani Laidley has slammed the AFL over its anti-homophobia education, saying the league hasn’t taken it seriously – doing tremendous harm to any gay players and staff.
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Rainbow advocate and former North Melbourne coach Dani Laidley says the AFL has “dropped the ball” on its anti-homophobia education, gutted that a sixth incident has emerged since the start of last season.
Laidley told this masthead on Tuesday that Riak Andrew’s homophobic slur to a North Melbourne VFL player was another sorry chapter that would drive gay and transgender AFL players further underground.
Former Roos coach and 1996 premiership player Laidley works as a transgender advocate and under Gillon McLachlan’s tenure she presented to the AFL executive and inclusion manager Tayna Hosch’s team.
But a proposed series of individual talks with AFL clubs on the inclusion theme was instead shelved, with AFL players now completing an AFL-mandated online module about homophobia.
The AFLPA has been frustrated by the lack of progress with the AFL to form a joint steering committee with experts in inclusion, equity and safety promised as part of the AFL CBA in 2023 which could guide education programs on issues including anti-homophobia.
Laidley said it was time for the AFL to get serious about anti-homophobia education.
“This just keeps happening and I don’t think enough time has been put into it. The AFL are dropping the ball,” she said.
“I know time is scarce at AFL clubs but where does the priority lie? Are we going to keep getting one of these instances once a fortnight?
“Gill organised for me to do a presentation to his executive and also one to Tanya’s team and we talked about doing some work at club level around this topic and since Gill left there has been no follow up. And then I saw a press conference where Tanya Hosch was saying we have done an online training module and I just thought, ‘Really? You can’t be serious about it if you are doing online training modules.’
“It should be about education, storytelling and life experiences. We have had AFL coaches (with anti-gay slurs) and we have had it at AFL level, and in the VFL and WAFL and in Queensland. The population of the rainbow community within the AFL ranks could be 50 or 60 or 70 men. And it affects them in different ways.”
Across the past two years, North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson was fined for calling a player a “c***sucker” while Jeremy Finlayson, Wil Powell, Lance Collard have all been suspended for between three to six weeks.
Andrew is being investigated by the AFL integrity department over his incident but given Jack Graham was handed a four-week ban last week so Andrew is facing five weeks given the league had warned penalties would escalate and he did not self-report.
Laidley was famously outed as transgender when police mug shots of her were released online but she had lived with her secret across her playing and coaching days.
She remembers the sick feeling in her stomach when homophobic slurs were uttered in the AFL community.
“I can go back to when I was involved at AFL and I would hear conversations about who is the gay footballer? I would run for the hills. My anxiety would skyrocket. I would withdraw into my workplace. My mental health would spiral uncontrollably.
“Any time things like this hit the media I can guarantee you any person in the rainbow community who is playing or coaching at AFL level will have their mental health (concerns) elevated.
“People say they are only words but those words turn into how a person feels about themselves. I am through it and I am proud of who I am but it is the younger people within the AFL and also the younger supporters of the AFL. They will be thinking I am going to stop playing footy or cricket or any sport because this is what some of my teammates may think of me.”
YOUNG SWAN IN HOT WATER OVER HOMOPHOBIC SLUR
— Lachlan McKirdy
Swans defender Riak Andrew is set to face punishment from the AFL Integrity Unit after being cited for using a homophobic slur during a VFL match.
Andrew, 20, was drafted to the club at the end of last season and is yet to make an AFL appearance after spending most of the year on the sidelines through a shoulder injury.
He has only played five VFL matches since his return, playing in defence where he enjoyed a strong year in 2024 for the Dandenong Stingrays, but is now likely to cop a suspension for his actions.
In a statement, the Swans confirmed that Andrew was cited for using a “homophobic slur” during Saturday’s VFL match against North Melbourne. The game, which was just the Swans’ third win in the VFL all season, has now been marred by the incident.
The AFL Integrity Unit is now investigating the matter.
The club also stated that Andrew “understands the language he used is unacceptable, is remorseful and takes full responsibility”, while Swans CEO Tom Harley expressed his dismay at the 20-year-old’s actions.
“This behaviour does not reflect the values of our club, and we take this matter very seriously,” Harley said.
“While it is disappointing, we recognise that Riak is at the beginning of his career and we will use this as an opportunity to provide support and education, to ensure Riak understands the impact of his words.”
The Swans are also just a fortnight away from hosting their Pride Game against Essendon, which will see their AFL players wear guernseys incorporating the progress pride flag colours.
Andrew is the younger brother of Gold Coast Suns defender Mac and was taken by the Swans with pick 55 of last year’s draft.
The AFL has already shown that it will hand out heavy suspensions for players who have used homophobic slurs during matches.
Most recently, West Coast’s Jack Graham was handed a four-match suspension after he self-reported using a slur in their game against the Giants earlier this month.
Gold Coast defender Will Powell served a five-match ban last season, while Port Adelaide forward Jeremy Finlayson served a three-match ban.
In the VFL, St Kilda’s Lance Collard received a six-match suspension last year for “highly offensive” slurs towards two Williamstown players.
Originally published as Dani Laidley slams AFL over homophobia as Riak Andrew to be cited for using slur
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