The Australian Football League (AFL) is currently looking into a ninth case of a homophobic slur allegedly made by a player in the VFL or AFL over the past two-and-a-half seasons. The latest incident involves Gold Coast ruckman Max Knobel, who is accused of making the remark during a VFL match against the Brisbane Lions on Saturday.
This event occurred on the same weekend that the Sydney Swans were planning to celebrate the LGBTQI+ community with a game against St Kilda. However, the club decided to cancel the “pride” status of the match at the SCG after young Saint Lance Collard was suspended for using homophobic language for the second time this season.
A spokesperson for the Gold Coast Suns confirmed the ongoing investigation by the AFL’s Integrity Unit. They stated, “The Gold Coast Suns are aware of an incident involving one of its players in Saturday’s VFL match against the Brisbane Lions.” The club added that it is fully cooperating with the AFL’s investigation.
This masthead has confirmed that Knobel is the player under scrutiny. The AFL also acknowledged the matter, stating, “We are investigating a matter arising from the VFL round 11 match between the Gold Coast Suns and Brisbane Lions.”
According to a source familiar with the incident, Knobel expressed deep remorse and had self-reported the issue to Gold Coast officials. The 21-year-old ruckman, who stands at 209 centimetres tall, joined the Suns in the 2024 rookie draft. He is the son of former player Trent Knobel and previously played for Fremantle but has yet to make an appearance in the AFL.
Over the past two seasons, repeated instances of homophobic abuse have led to frustration within the LGBTQI+ community, with some feeling that too much emphasis is placed on penalties rather than education and social change.
Koby Evans, a player for the Brisbane Lions, was recently suspended for four matches following an incident in the VFL, where his remorse was considered. Other players such as Jeremy Finlayson, Jack Graham, Riak Andrew, Wil Powell, Izak Rankine, and Collard have also faced suspensions for using homophobic slurs.
Collard was sanctioned for a second incident in the VFL earlier this season, with his initial nine-week suspension reduced to four weeks on appeal, and two weeks suspended. The St Kilda player denied using the term “f—ing f—–,” claiming he used the word “maggot” instead.
As a result of these incidents, the Sydney Swans opted not to hold their pride game against St Kilda on Sunday. Instead, they will focus on promoting LGBTQI+ inclusion and safety against the Western Bulldogs in round 17.
The Rainbow Swans explained that holding the match against St Kilda would have been “too distracting” and detracted from the purpose of the Pride Game, which is to promote diversity and inclusivity.
In response to the controversy surrounding the Collard case, the AFL removed the head of its appeals board, Will Houghton KC, after his controversial judgment. His decision took into account that the recipient of the slur was not personally offended and suggested that such language is common in football.
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon strongly rejected Houghton’s reasoning, stating, “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 league has since appointed Richard Loveridge, a dual Hawthorn premiership player and lawyer, as interim chair of the appeals board.
