Richmond and Collingwood players to show support for Black Lives Matter movement before Round 2

AFL players have shown their support for the Black Lives Matter movement on social media. Now they are set to take their feelings to the field before the Richmond v Collingwood blockbuster, and they have the AFL’s full support.

Richmond and Collingwood players will come together to make a stand against racism before the first bounce. Picture: Mark Stewart

Richmond and Collingwood players will make a united stand on Thursday night supporting the Black Lives Matter campaign.

The player-driven initiative will be ticked off by the AFL and could yet be undertaken by all teams ahead of the matches this weekend.

Magpies and Tigers players will take a knee just before the first bounce in a symbolic commitment to unity.

It’s understood the matter has been discussed at a chief executives’ hook-up with AFL boss Gillon McLachlan.

McLachlan has said previously he was supportive of player beliefs and actions.

An AFL spokesman said that the players have their “full support”.

“It is the the players voices that are the most important and they have our full support,” he said.

“We as an organisation understand and agree these are critical issues and we stand with our players.”

Rallies and protests have taken place globally in the past week in response to the death of George Floyd in the United States and, locally, to raise awareness about the deaths of indigenous people in jail.

This week, Brisbane, North Melbourne and Gold Coast posted pictures on social media of players at training supporting Black Lives Matter.

Richmond and Collingwood players will come together to make a stand against racism before the first bounce. Picture: Mark Stewart

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On June 3, the Magpies also posted a picture of Travis Varcoe, Isaac Quaynor and Fijian-born Atu Bosenavulagi under the #blacklivesmatter banner.

Richmond’s work with indigenous Australia is second to none in the AFL.

The Tigers run the Korin Gamadji institute at Punt Rd. In the Woiwurrung language the name means growth and emerge.

It supports indigenous youth aged 13-19 and has for a decade, with more than 2000 pupils going through the programs.

It’s also understood the Tigers are the only sporting organisation in the world with a registered school on site, which is the Melbourne Indigenous Transition, which delivers a Year 7 program for 22 kids.

Two years ago, the Tigers put five recommendations to the Federal Government after completing an indigenous incarceration report with Price Waterhouse Coopers.

The gesture from Collingwood comes a day after former Magpie Héritier Lumumba called on the club and the AFL to “publicly acknowledge” his “experiences of racism were inadequately dealt with, which caused further damage’’.

It wasn’t the first time Lumumba had claimed the Pies environment was racially toxic.

Magpies president Eddie McGuire today refused to comment to a Herald Sun reporter about Lumumba’s most recent comments.

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Originally published as Richmond and Collingwood players to show support for Black Lives Matter movement before Round 2