The AFL appeals board’s decision to reduce the suspension of St Kilda forward Lance Collard for allegedly using a homophobic slur has opened a rift within the most senior ranks of the sport’s hierarchy.
The AFL chief executive, Andrew Dillon, issued an extraordinary statement on Friday that was critical of the decision of the appeals board, made up of kings counsels William Houghton and Georgina Coghlan, and former player Stephen Jurica.
Dillon said “stronger action was not only warranted, it was necessary” and took issue with the board’s reasoning that appeared to suggest homophobic language was acceptable “from time to time”.
“Let’s be clear: homophobia has no place in Australian football. Not at any level. Not under any circumstances,” Dillon said.
“The AFL specifically rejects the appeals board’s reasoning which stated, ‘it is commonplace that players can employ language from time to time which is racist, sexist or homophobic whilst on the field’.
“The AFL strongly rejects the statement not only that such language is commonplace, but also any implication that may be a factor in determining the severity of the sanction.”
The sentiment was echoed by the AFL Players Association chief executive, James Gallagher, who said the entire process had harmed the LGBTQIA+ community, the First Nations community, and the individuals involved.
“No matter how hard or competitive the game is, there is no excuse for racist, sexist, or homophobic language and this language is hurtful to communities beyond the individual it is directed at,” he said.
Members of the appeals board, chaired by Houghton, are appointed by the AFL’s general counsel, a post currently occupied by Stephen Meade.
Responding to widespread public criticism of the decision on Friday, Dillon said the AFL’s concerns had been shared with the board and “respect and inclusion are not optional in our game, they are fundamental”.
“We will not accept, excuse or normalise behaviour and language that demeans, discriminates or vilifies people based on who they are,” he said.
“We acknowledge there are always broader considerations in these matters, and they must be handled with care. But they do not override the responsibility everyone has to meet the standards of the game.”
Collard will serve a two-week suspension over his latest homophobic slur after having his ban reduced. He was initially banned for seven weeks, with a further two weeks suspended, after being found guilty of calling a VFL opponent a “fucking faggot” last month. He denied the allegation.
The appeal board on Thursday backed the AFL disciplinary tribunal’s decision that Collard was guilty of conduct unbecoming and dismissed St Kilda’s appeal against that finding.
However, the board agreed with Saints lawyer Michael Borsky KC that the initial penalty was manifestly excessive.
On reducing the sanction, the board declared a suspension of that length would have had a “crippling” effect on the 21-year-old fringe player’s career.
Collard’s reduced two-week ban comes with a further two weeks suspended until the end of next season, when his existing contract expires.
St Kilda expressed disappointment that the charge was upheld, but welcomed the reduction in sanction.
“The club remains focused on supporting Lance throughout what has been a challenging period and asks for his privacy as he makes his return to play,” St Kilda said in a statement on Thursday night.
“Despite the reduction in sanction, St Kilda remains disappointed with how the matter was assessed and believes greater consistency and clarity in the AFL’s tribunal process is important moving forward.”
It is the second time in three seasons Collard has been found guilty of using homophobic language in a VFL match.
He was banned for six games in 2024 after admitting to using the same slur on-field.
The appeal board said Collard’s previous offending was “probably far more serious than the present offence”.
It noted Collard’s age, Indigenous heritage and difficult background in delivering its verdict, and said Frankston player Darby Hipwell was not personally offended by the slur directed at him.
“Ultimately, the appeal board has come to the view that the sanction imposed on player Collard by the tribunal was manifestly excessive,” Houghton said.
The board observed the AFL and tribunal are succeeding in their efforts to stamp out racist, sexist and homophobic language on the field.
“However, that cannot be at the price of imposing what this board considers to be a crippling penalty on the appellant in this case,” Houghton said.
“We described it as crippling because there was evidence before the tribunal in both hearings that a penalty of this extent would finish him off as a player of professional football.”
Collard admitted calling VFL opponents “faggot” in 2024 but was adamant he did not utter the term this time. Instead, he insisted he said “Come here, maggot” to Hipwell.
But the tribunal sided with Hipwell and his teammate Bailey Lambert, who both gave evidence at Collard’s initial tribunal hearing on 9 April.
Collard’s two-week suspension for conduct unbecoming will be served cumulatively with the two-match ban he received for striking in the same VFL fixture.
