Former AFL player Joel Wilkinson launches Twitter tirade against Gillon McLachlan
Ex-Gold Coast Sun Joel Wilkinson claims Gillon McLachlan has failed Indigenous and African players, launching a stunning Twitter tirade against the AFL boss. Read the tweets and find out what sparked the attack.
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Former Gold Coast Suns player Joel Wilkinson has launched a blistering attack on AFL boss Gillon McLachlan, declaring his position “untenable” because of a pattern of racism under his leadership.
Wilkinson claims he received a letter from McLachlan on June 6 that was “so racist you won’t get away with it” and that a spate of unacceptable incidents should result in McLachlan’s departure from AFL House.
“Gillon McLachlan you continue to fail indigenous and African players past and present,” Wilkinson said on Twitter.
“There’s a continuous pattern during your reign that is racist, dangerous and must be stopped. You will resign, we’ll be making sure that happens. Your position is untenable.”
“Also, that racist letter I received from you Gillon and other parties June 6th is so racist you won’t get away with it. Along with all the incidents of racism for years.”
Wilkinson, 28, tagged Tanya Hosch, the AFL’s head of inclusion and social policy, in his tweet.
Wilkinson’s comments follow the vaccination bungle where the AFL was forced to apologise to indigenous players and club staff after they were told they and their families must get pneumococcal vaccinations ahead of their entry into Queensland.
Indigenous players said it was an infringement on their human rights. Nova Peris, a dual Olympian for Australia dubbed it “vaccine racism”.
“Who in the AFL mandated this vaccine whilst there’s a national shortage of supply? Why only Aboriginal players who aren’t even in the critical category?” Peris said.
Wilkinson’s comments come as Collingwood begins its internal racism probe, which will be headed by professor Larissa Brendt.
The Magpies want to get to the bottom of premiership star Heritier Lumumba’s accounts of racism during his 10-year career at the club.
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Lumumba said he was ostracised internally for calling out president Eddie McGuire for suggesting Sydney champion Adam Goodes could be used to promote the musical King Kong.
Lumumba has long had issues with coach Nathan Buckley and said club officials told him: “You threw the president under the bus”.
McGuire went unpunished for the Goodes slur.
Gillon Mclachlan you continue to fail Indigenous and African players past and present. There’s a continuous pattern during your reign that is racist, dangerous and must be stopped. You will resign, we’ll be making sure that happens. Your position is untenable. @AFL @tanyahosch
— Joel Wilkinson (@joelwilkinson) July 19, 2020
Wilkinson was racially vilified by former Western Bulldog Justin Sherman on his AFL debut in 2009. He was 19.
In 2010 he was racially vilified by a Collingwood member.
Wilkinson also called the AFL Players’ Association the “white players association” and called for boss Paul Marsh to “prove otherwise”.
“Gillon McLachlan’s position as CEO is untenable. The AFLPA must take action against this long history of racist failures from the AFL, Gillon McLachlan.”
The Herald Sun has contacted Wilkinson for further comment.
Originally published as Former AFL player Joel Wilkinson launches Twitter tirade against Gillon McLachlan