Giant withdraws after declining pride jumper

Giants player Haneen Zreika will not play this weekend after deciding to wear the team’s pride jumper on religious grounds.

Greater Western Sydney player and practising Muslim Haneen Zreika will not play this weekend after deciding not to wear the team’s pride jumper on religious grounds.

Zreika, who was the first Islamic player to play AFL Women’s after making her debut in 2019, has grappled with the decision in recent weeks before ultimately withdrawing from Friday’s clash against the Western Bulldogs.

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It is understood that she addressed her teammates earlier this week regarding her decision in what was an emotional and educational session for all players, which includes a number of LGBTQIA+ community members.

It was not a decision that was reached lightly by the 22-year-old, who has been working with the club and the AFL in the lead-up to the game.

Haneen Zreika will not play this weekend after deciding not to wear the team’s pride jumper on religious grounds. Picture: Getty Images

She played in the 2021 pride round, but the Giants did not wear a pride jumper. Zreika - who supports her teammates and their beliefs - strives to be a leader within the Muslim community and it is understood that wearing the jumper in Friday’s game could compromise her standing within her community.

She is likely to attend the game at Henson Park.

It has been an unchartered situation for the club, which remains firmly committed to its support of AFLW Pride Round, its specially designed jumper and what it stands for.

“It’s so important and such a big step for our club and our supporters,” Zreika’s teammate Rebecca Privitelli said last week when the jumper was launched.

“I know our girls are really excited to pull on the jumper, it’s a big part of all our lives and I hope our fans feel the same way.

“There’s a lot of young boys and girls out there that need role models to look up to and I think the AFLW are doing an incredible thing to give young women and men that opportunity.”

The AFL has declined to make a comment on Zreika’s decision to miss Friday night’s game.

Last week West Coast was criticised for being the only AFLW team not to wear a Pride jumper.

West Coast general manager of community and game development Richard O’Connell said the club was conscious of not rushing the process for desiging a pride jumper and was focusing this season on releasing its AFLW Indigenous jumper.

The club’s AFLW coach Michael Prior then came under fire for refusing to comment on the issue, saying: “I talk about footy, not what we’re wearing. I think we’ve done the pride stuff to death, to be honest.”

He later apologised to anyone “who was offended by the report”.

ROUND FOUR: TEAMS AND TIPS

In a battle of the unbeaten Collingwood and Fremantle will face-off at Victoira Park with both squads facing line-up changes. The Pies are returning home after a hard-fought win in Geelong while the Dockers came within three points of their highest ever score - and 10 points of the competition’s leading score last week.

Fremantle were unstoppable last week. Picture: Getty Images

Thursday, January 27

Collingwood v Fremantle, Victoria Park, 5.40pm (AEST)

COLLINGWOOD

B: Butler Livingstone

HB: Fowler Schleicher Porter

C: Allen Brown Rowe

HF: Frederick Molloy Cann

F: Alexander Sheridan

Foll: Downie Bonnici Lambert

Inter: Newman Chiocci James O’Dea Casey

Em: Velardo Smith

In: Fowler Brown Chiocci

Out: Smith (omitted), Velardo (omitted), Chaston (omitted)

FREMANTLE

B: Verrier Stannett

HB: Pugh O’Driscoll Low

C: Antonio Bowers Cain

HF: Runnalls Tighe Antonio

F: Houghton Tuhakaraina

Foll: Strom Miller O’Sullivan

Inter: Roux McMahon Hyde Stewart East

Em: Sergeant Webb

In: McMahon Stewart

Out: Sergeant (rested), Toth (managed)

The Pies fought off a gutsy Cats outfit last week to remain unbeaten. Picture: Getty Images

TIPS

Chris Cavanagh 19

Fremantle 1

GWS Giants 6

St Kilda 1

Adelaide 6

Brisbane Lions 12

North Melbourne 12

Gold Coast 1

Collingwood 18

Fremantle 12

Last Week 6

Sarah Jones 18

Fremantle 4

Western Bulldogs 20

St Kilda 12

Melbourne 7

Brisbane Lions 3

North Melbourne 9

Richmond 15

Collingwood 3

Fremantle 4

Last Week 6

Kath Loughnan 18

Fremantle 10

Western Bulldogs 5

West Coast 4

Adelaide 6

Brisbane Lions 15

North Melbourne 11

Richmond 7

Collingwood 17

Fremantle 11

Last Week 6

Adelaide are once again looking as the team to beat. Getty Images

Liz Walsh 18

Fremantle 13

Western Bulldogs 2

St Kilda 12

Adelaide 3

Brisbane Lions 23

North Melbourne 15

Richmond 8

Collingwood 36

Fremantle 16

Last Week 6

Glenn McFarlane 17

Collingwood 17

Western Bulldogs 7

St Kilda 1

Adelaide 2

Brisbane Lions 15

North Melbourne 9

Richmond 11

Collingwood 20

Fremantle 3

Last Week 6

Chloe Molloy 17

Collingwood

GWS Giants

St Kilda

Adelaide

Brisbane Lions

North Melbourne

Richmond

Collingwood

Fremantle

Last Week 6

Mark Robinson 17

Collingwood 5

Western Bulldogs 15

St Kilda 2

Adelaide 8

Brisbane Lions 5

North Melbourne 12

Richmond 5

Collingwood 29

Fremantle 12

Last Week 5

GWS will enjoy heading home for the first time this season. Picture: Getty Images

Matt Turner 17

Collingwood 12

Western Bulldogs 14

St Kilda 3

Adelaide 15

Brisbane Lions 21

North Melbourne 2

Gold Coast 6

Collingwood 9

Fremantle 8

Last Week 5

Ebony Marinoff 16

Collingwood

GWS Giants

West Coast

Adelaide

Brisbane Lions

North Melbourne

Gold Coast

Collingwood

Fremantle

Last Week 6

Rebecca Williams 16

Collingwood 12

GWS Giants 8

West Coast 6

Adelaide 11

Brisbane Lions 14

North Melbourne 15

Richmond 13

Collingwood 10

Fremantle 8

Last Week 5

Lauren Wood 16

Collingwood 9

GWS Giants 11

St Kilda 10

Melbourne 16

Brisbane Lions 3

North Melbourne 19

Richmond 15

Collingwood 8

Fremantle 11

Last Week 5

The hardest hit by the health and saftery protocols, can the Dogs find some consistancy? Picture: Getty Images

Ellie Blackburn 15

Fremantle

Western Bulldogs

St Kilda

Adelaide

Brisbane Lions

North Melbourne

Richmond

Collingwood

Western Bulldogs

Last Week 6

Chloe Dalton 14

Fremantle

GWS Giants

St Kilda

Adelaide

Brisbane Lions

North Melbourne

Richmond

Collingwood

Fremantle

Last Week 5

Kate McCarthy 12

Fremantle

Western Bulldogs

St Kilda

Melbourne

Brisbane Lions

North Melbourne

Richmond

Collingwood

Fremantle

Last Week 4

Kiss of Death 1

Fremantle 13

GWS Giants 13

West Coast 13

Melbourne 13

Geelong 13

Carlton 13

Richmond 13

West Coast 13

Western Bulldogs 13

Last Week 0

WA border forces chaotic AFLW fixture shift

- Lauren Wood

The AFL will stage an AFLW double header next Tuesday night as it continues to fixture on the run to combat the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

Two games originally set for Round 6 and Round 10 — Collingwood v West Coast and Western Bulldogs v Fremantle — have been brought forward to Tuesday, February 1.

Collingwood’s Round 4 clash with Fremantle — which was slated for this Sunday — has been brought forward to Thursday night at Victoria Park.

As well as having to deal with playing squads being struck down by the virus — the Western Bulldogs being one of the teams hardest hit — the league is also working overtime in the wake of Western Australia’s hard line border closure,

The Eagles and the Dockers, who have been based in Victoria for a month of matches, were expecting to fly home in early February.

But WA premier Mark McGowan announced last week he would not be opening the state as expected on February 5.

WA teams have been forced to stay in Victoria for over a month. Picture: Getty Images

Banking games for the WA teams has become a priority.

The Bulldogs have played just one of three possible games and two matches – Bulldogs v Suns and Bulldogs v Lions — are still to be scheduled.

The shifting fixture has been proving a major challenge for the semi-professional women’s players and as a result clubs have been providing letters to workplaces for leave requirements, care for children and, in some cases, juggling medical treatments.

“The decision to schedule additional matches to the fixture for Fremantle and the West Coast Eagles was made in close consultation and with strong support from each club following updates to border restrictions relating to Western Australia,” AFL competition boss Laura Kane said.

“We remain cognisant of the outside-football commitments of many players and staff from WA who are currently on the road in Victoria, and we thank them for their commitment and understanding.

Banking games for the WA teams has become a priority. Picture: Getty Images

“The league will continue to work closely with each club and the AFLPA, and will remain led by the advice of respective state governments and relevant health authorities as we work through arrangements for the coming rounds. I want to thank the AFLPA for working with us to provide the flexibility required to progress the season.”

The Western Bulldogs have been cleared to play in Round 4 after being decimated by covid isolation protocols in recent weeks.

“For the time being, the fixture remains a week-to-week proposition, and as such, we want to thank every AFLW Club, players and the AFLPA, umpires, venues, governments, ticketing agents and all supporters for their understanding,” Kane said.

AFLW fixture chaos continues with more games under threat

The AFL Women’s fixture continues to be a moving feast with at least one game potentially on the move this weekend.

The Herald Sun understands that plans are underway for Friday night’s clash between Gold Coast and Richmond to be moved to Sunday.

The league also has to consider the imminent future of Fremantle and West Coast who remain in Victoria for this weekend’s games, but could have difficulty going home because the WA border is closed.

Richmond star Monique Conti in action against the Dockers on Saturday. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

It comes as two delayed games still remain without times slot - both the Western Bulldogs-Brisbane clash and the Bulldogs-Gold Coast clash have to be rescheduled.

The Lions’ meeting with Gold Coast and the Bulldogs’ clash with Carlton were called off in Round 3.

As part of fixturing on the run, Brisbane will play Carlton on Tuesday night in a rescheduled Round 3 game.

The league has maintained that the fixture remains a week-to-week proposition as it navigates clubs being hit by covid isolation protocols and also border rules.

It says it will be led by the advice of respective state governments and health officials.

With travel plans to consider, it is endeavouring to make decisions as quickly as possible in order to allow clubs and players - many of whom work and study - adequate planning time.

The Dogs have played just one game this season after weeks of being affected by isolation rules that decimated its playing stocks.

“Disappointed not to play again this weekend but absolutely the right decision for our team’s health and safety,” skipper Ellie Blackburn posted on Instagram on Sunday.

“We’re even more disappointed to not play with it being Pride Round, something our club takes great pride in being a part of.”

Originally published as Giant withdraws after declining pride jumper