Collingwood CEO in bombshell new racism scandal

Collingwood’s chief executive Craig Kelly has been accused of joking about putting a live possum in a special room for Indigenous players and sending a Jewish colleague a “free Palestine” photo.

Magpies chief Craig Kelly has been accused of making racist comments in explosive new court documents. Picture: Michael Klein

Collingwood is facing a fresh racism scandal, with chief executive Craig Kelly accused of joking about putting a “live f***ing possum” in a special room for Indigenous players and calling an Aboriginal elder a “dumb old bitch”.

In explosive court documents, Mr Kelly is accused of a series of racial slurs and physical assaults by the club’s former head of First Nations strategy Mark Cleaver, a “Palawa person” who was engaged by the Magpies in the wake of the 2021 “Do Better” crisis.

The documents were filed with the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia on Monday.

In addition to the accusations of Indigenous slurs, Mr Cleaver claimed that Mr Kelly also joked about sending a photograph of a ‘Free Palestine’ sign to a Jewish colleague to wind her up.

According to the documents, on February 6, 2024, Mr Kelly and Mr Cleaver met with community, foundation and facilities executive general manager Kerrie Brewer in her office about Collingwood’s community strategy.

During the meeting the need for a “cultural room” was raised, it is alleged in the documents. “We need to get this cultural room launched, (Collingwood president) Jeff (Browne) has been on my arse about it,” Mr Kelly is alleged to have said.

Craig Kelly celebrating the Magpies’ 2023 Grand Final win over the Brisbane Lions. Picture: Jason Edwards

Mr Cleaver told him: “The next step is to go through all the cultural artefacts, with Leon Davis to decide what goes in the room.”

The documents then assert: “Mr Kelly picked up a marngrook (a ball made of possum hair used by Indigenous peoples in Victoria) that was on the desk and said ‘I don’t give a f*** what you put in there, put this shit in there’ and forcefully threw the marngrook at Mr Cleaver.

“The marngrook hit Mr Cleaver, which humiliated them and caused them pain because of the paresthesia caused by their multiple sclerosis.

“Mr Kelly continued talking and said ‘I don’t give a f*** if you put a live f***ing possum in there, just get Jeff and (Indigenous vice-president) Jodie (Sizer) off my arse’.

Ms Brewer is alleged to have responded by saying: “Great one, Ned (Kelly), that’s not culturally safe.”

The documents state that Mr Kelly then “laughed”, prompting Ms Brewer to comment “not appropriate”.

Mr Kelly is alleged to have then said: “I know it’s inappropriate.”

They also detail how Collingwood met with Indigenous support group Dardi Munwurro on March 18, with the organisation claiming it had not been paid $500,000 promised from CGU sponsorship funds after the “Do Better” racism scandal.

After Mr Kelly said he really cared “about our Indigenous people”, documents assert Indigenous elder Aunty Carol Thorpe said “you don’t say ‘our’, we don’t belong to you”.

As they drove from the meeting in Mr Kelly’s car, the documents allege that the club chief asked: “Who was that old bird?”

Mr Kelly allegedly made racist comments about putting a live possum in the cultural room to get Jodie Sizer – the club’s vice-president and chair of the club’s Reconciliation Action Plan ‘off my back’. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

After Mr Cleaver told him it was “Aunty Carol” – the wife of Dardi Munwurro chief Alan Thorpe – the complainant claimed: “Mr Kelly laughed and said ‘That dumb old bitch was really angry but I got her to come around’.”

“As they drove back to Collingwood’s office … a free Palestine sign was painted on a building. Mr Kelly said ‘quick take a photo of that, send it to Galit and watch her go off’,” the documents allege.

Mr Kelly was referring to Galit Yaary, who is Collingwood’s executive general manager for people and culture and is Jewish.

It is further alleged in the documents: “About halfway back to the office, on or about High Street or Hoddle Street … an Asian lady was walking across the road nearing the middle of the road. Mr Kelly swerved the car so it passed close by her, yelled ‘statistic’ and laughed.”

In another exchange in his car on March 18, Mr Kelly is alleged to have said to Mr Cleaver: “Why do you need to use google maps? I assume your people can navigate with their eyes closed.”

Earlier during that trip, Mr Cleaver – who documents detail identifies as non-binary and gay – alleges Mr Kelly told him “we are taking my car; it’s a real man’s car”.

When Mr Cleaver joked they thought Mr Kelly “flew by helicopter”, the club chief allegedly hit back saying “dickhead” and “jabbed” them “forcefully in the shoulder” causing them “to fall backwards”.

The documents were filed as part of an application against Mr Cleaver’s dismissal, seeking compensation for “hurt, humiliation and distress and economic loss”.

They also reveal Mr Cleaver made a statement to Victoria Police over Mr Kelly’s “physical assaults” on April 20.

Eddie McGuire resigned as Collingwood president in the wake of the ‘Do Better’ crisis after he labelled the release of the scathing report as a ‘proud day’ for the club. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Mr Cleaver earlier complained to club bosses, who raised the allegations with Mr Kelly on March 26, according to the court documents.

The next day, Mr Kelly and Mr Cleaver met in the corridor to the cafe.

“Mr Kelly said ‘how are you going Mark?’ and grabbed the applicant’s hand (and) forcefully squeezed it. The tight forceful grip caused Mr Cleaver significant pain because of his paresthesia,” the documents claim.

“Mr Kelly said ‘going to the café to get hot cross buns, are you?’ Mr Cleaver said ‘maybe later, I’ve got work to do’ and struggled to extricate his hand from Mr Kelly’s hand. After Mr Kelly left, Mr Cleaver got an icy pole from the fridge to use as an icepack to reduce the pain in his hand.”

On April 24, Mr Cleaver was told to work from home then was informed two days later, during a three-hour meeting with the club, that the complaints were not proven.

The live possum comment was “not substantiated”, it was found Mr Kelly “tossed” the marngrook to Mr Cleaver, and comments about Mr Cleaver’s disability were “acknowledged but not deemed ableist or racist”.

The Herald Sun is not suggesting any of the claims are true, only that they have been made in documents before the court.

Mr Cleaver was suspended on full pay on May 1 after receiving a letter from Mr Browne “setting out allegations against Cleaver”.

Collingwood’s former head of First Nations strategy Mark Cleaver. Picture: Supplied

On May 6, Mr Cleaver’s employment was terminated, hours after Maurice Blackburn lawyers wrote to the club saying it had been hired to represent the ex-strategist, who also claims to have made a complaint to the AFL integrity unit on March 25.

Maurice Blackburn principal Daniel Victory: “The allegations in this case call into question whether the Collingwood Football Club has learned anything from its multiple self-inflicted racism scandals.

“We are entitled to expect more from a Club that has promised to do better. The conduct alleged in this case has no place in society or any sporting club and especially not in a league that holds itself out as an agent for social change.

“Football fans have a right to feel let down once again by the Collingwood Football Club. The AFL should consider penalising premiership points from clubs if allegations like this are proven.”

AFL spokesman Jay Allan said: “The AFL Integrity Unit was made aware of a workplace HR complaint by a Collingwood Football Club employee. The matter was deemed a workplace issue for the club and was triaged to the club’s HR department to manage accordingly.”

The case is listed for a court hearing on August 27.

Mr Cleaver was employed by the club in November 2023 as part of a series of commitments after the “Do Better” scandal and resignation of long-time president Eddie McGuire.

“Do Better” was a secret report which found there was “systemic racism within the Collingwood Football Club that must be addressed if things are to change”.

The damning 35-page independent report, which was kept under wraps by McGuire’s board, said the club’s response to repeated incidents of racism “has been at best ineffective, or at worst exacerbated the impact”.