GWS AFLW players call out men’s side for Wacky Wednesday behaviour

The Giants’ AFLW team has united to call out their AFL counterparts for inappropriate behaviour that took place at a post-season function.

Toby Greene. Picture: Phil Hillyard

The GWS Giants’ AFLW team has taken a united stance in calling out the actions of their AFL counterparts as men’s captain Toby Greene apologised at a club-wide meeting on Friday morning.

The Giants held an all-staff and players call on Friday, including both men’s and women’s playing groups, where Greene spoke and apologised on behalf of the AFL playing group. It follows an investigation into their inappropriate behaviour at a post-season gathering at a Wolloomooloo pub in September.

It was confirmed on Thursday that six players from the Giants’ men’s team would receive bans for their antics, headlined by youngster Josh Fahey who has been handed a four-match suspension for dressing as former rugby league footballer Jarryd Hayne and simulating inappropriate acts on a blow-up sex doll.

Giants captain Toby Greene apologised on behalf of the men’s playing group on a club-wide call on Friday that included GWS’ AFLW team. Picture: Phil Hillyard

A further seven players were handed $5,000 fines for either their involvement in skits, or failing to call out and stop the behaviour of the younger players.

The sanctions handed down by the AFL were scaled down from what was originally proposed. Fahey was initially set to be given a six-week suspension, while Toby Greene was facing a $20,000 fine before submissions were received from the players, club and AFLPA.

As part of the Giants’ response to the investigation, the club’s AFLW captain Rebecca Beeson released a statement on behalf of the women’s playing group calling out their male colleagues and encouraging them to learn from their mistakes.

“It is important that we make it known that we were deeply hurt and angered when learning of the behaviour that occurred,” the statement read.

“Playing the game we love gives us a platform to speak to the community, fans and young people. As the AFLW playing group, we feel it is of great importance to stress that the behaviour that included references to gender-based violence is completely unacceptable under any circumstances.

“The values of respect, diversity and inclusion are as important off the field as they are on it. We look forward to the AFL playing group learning from this incident and as a club, we are united in ensuring everyone feels safe within our game.”

Alicia Eva was one of at least 17 Giants AFLW players to share the comments online from Beeson. Picture: Instagram

The statement was also publicly shared on the Instagram stories of more than a dozen of the Giants’ women’s players, clearly voicing their frustration that this incident occurred.

The AFLW team will be in action again on Saturday afternoon when they take on the Hawks in Frankston.

The AFLW Giants have made a united response. Picture: Getty Images

From the perspective of the men’s players, the AFLPA has said they will release a statement on the sanctions on Friday afternoon.

The AFL also confirmed on Thursday that along with the Giants reviewing their welfare and leadership practices, the club will “conduct a training session for all players and staff on the consequences of the choices they make”.

This training session will likely be conducted later in the year with the men’s players currently on break. They are set to return to the club from the end of November.

The Giants’ ‘Wacky Wednesday’ scandal isn’t the only distressing incident set to become a narrative in the AFLW this weekend.

The AFL issued a formal apology to Richmond AFLW player Kate Dempsey and her family after they were subject to “disturbing” abuse on a social media post that was left unmonitored.

In a display of support, both the Tigers and their opponents Melbourne will wear their Pride guernseys for their match at Casey Fields on Saturday.

Originally published as GWS AFLW players call out men’s side for Wacky Wednesday behaviour