- Jeremy Finlayson’s homophobic slur revealed
- Calls are growing for the Port star to accept a ban
- Finlayson aimed the insult at a rival player over the weekend
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The AFL has been urged to suspend Jeremy Finlayson after details emerged about his homophobic slur directed at a rival player.
Footy’s governing body is expected to hand down its findings into the incident that marred the Gather Round in the coming days, after Finlayson admitted making the comment during Port’s win over Essendon last weekend.
“I take full responsibility for what occurred on Friday night,” Finlayson said in a statement issued by Port Adelaide on Sunday.
The issue of homophobia in football (and the sport’s response to it) has been in the spotlight, with comparisons made to Alastair Clarkson’s outburst at St Kilda’s Jimmy Webster in pre-season.
That incident led to the North Melbourne coach receiving a suspended suspension and a fine, but with reports suggesting Finlayson used the ‘f*****’ word, a harsher penalty was demanded.
Jeremy Finlayson reportedly called a rival player ‘f*****’ during a match in Adelaide.
Finlayson admitted to directing homophobic slur at opposing player
‘I think the AFL is running out of excuses and reasons (not to suspend him); “I think Jeremy Finlayson will be suspended and I think he should be suspended,” said Mark Robinson of Fox Footy.
The AFL could look to the NRL for a comparable episode from which to draw its own conclusions. In 2022, NRL star Marcelo Montoya used the same insult towards an opponent and received a four-week ban after pleading guilty.
Former Wests player Mitchell Moses also missed two games for using a homophobic slur more than a decade ago.
“People at home may say ‘it’s just words, it’s not 1974, it’s 2024,’ and the word he used is simply unacceptable,” Robinson added.
‘I wrote to Gerard tonight, walked into any workplace and used that job to describe your colleague and found out how long you will have a job.
“There are many gay players playing in the AFL and AFLW, including Port Adelaide’s AFLW coach who is gay, and there is a Port Adelaide player who uses a gay slur.”
“I’m not the moral police, I’m far from it, but the AFL can’t preach inclusion and preach all these things and say ‘No, we’ll fine you $500’. I just don’t think that’s going to be it. It’s going to be good enough.
Port Adelaide president David Koch landed himself in trouble after appearing to defend Finlayson’s comment.
Calls grow for Port Adelaide star to accept a ban from the game
On Sunday, Koch appeared on ABC’s Offsiders and left some fans furious when he was asked about the severity of the punishment the league could impose.
He referred to the case of North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson, who was fined $20,000 and given a two-match suspension for allegedly using the word “c**ks***er” in a heated exchange with two St Kilda players during the match. preseason.
“If you look at the comparisons, and you have to establish reference points, with a 55-year-old coach, premeditated, pointing at the player, walking towards him, it is very different to a player in the heat of battle, when there is many problems in the game, the pressure; Again, there is absolutely no excuse, it cannot be tolerated,” Koch said.
Power chief David Koch has been criticized for appearing to defend Finlayson
“But if you’re going to make a comparison, that [Clarkson’s penalty] would be the reference point.’
The former Sunrise host was then asked if he thought it was in the same category as 2021 Crows star Taylor Walker’s on-field racial slur, which saw him suspended for six games and fined $20,000.
“I don’t think it’s realistic… I think the benchmark has already been set.” [with the Clarkson incident].’
Football fans criticized Koch, accusing him of trying to excuse Finlayson’s actions by saying that he, like Clarkson, did not deserve to miss any games.