Man arrested over alleged ‘significant’ threat to Adelaide Crows star Izak Rankine
A man has been arrested over a “direct and significant” threat made to Adelaide Crows star Izak Rankine following a lengthy investigation.
A man has been arrested over several alleged threatening messages sent to Adelaide Crows star Izak Rankine over social media earlier this year.
The Advertiser reports a man from the Adelaide suburb of Kensington Gardens has been arrested over the messages sent to Rankine via social media.
Police allege five threatening messages were sent to the Crows star on September 8. Rankine reported the incident to police.
The messages were sent four days after Adelaide’s qualifying loss to Collingwood, which took place during Rankine’s four-game suspension for making a homophobic slur during Adelaide’s game against the Magpies late in the home-and-away season.
A 31-year-old Kensington Gardens man was arrested on December 8 following a lengthy investigation by the SAPOL Cyber Crime Investigation Section.
The man was charged with using a carriage service in an offensive manner and bailed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on January 30.
In a statement, the Adelaide Crows confirmed two of their players had been targeted in “direct and significant threats”.
“Adelaide can confirm two of its players were subject to direct and significant threats on a social media platform,” the statement read.
“Subsequently, reports were made to South Australia Police in September which prompted investigations.
“The AFL Integrity Unit was advised of the matters and both players have been provided with the necessary and ongoing support.
“Any form of online abuse, discrimination or threatening behaviour is unacceptable and it has no place in our society.”
Rankine’s suspension sidelined him for Adelaide’s entire finals campaign — the minor premiers were eliminated from their first finals appearance since 2017 in straight sets.
The ban meant Rankine missed Adelaide’s final game of the regular season, as well as losses to Collingwood and Hawthorn in the finals.
The 25-year-old will miss Adelaide’s first game of the 2026 AFL season, which is also against Collingwood.
Originally published as Man arrested over alleged ‘significant’ threat to Adelaide Crows star Izak Rankine
