The AFL has sanctioned 13 present and former GWS gamers within the wake of the Giants’ post-season operate, with the league describing their behaviour as “fully unacceptable”.
Josh Fahey was suspended for 4 matches, whereas Jake Riccardi, Joe Fonti, Toby McMullin, Harvey Thomas and the de-listed Cooper Hamilton acquired two-week bans.
Giants captain Toby Greene was fined $5,000, as had been Lachie Whitfield, Connor Idun, Tom Inexperienced, Sam Taylor and Lachie Keeffe.
Harry Perryman, who has since joined Collingwood as an unrestricted free agent, was fined the identical quantity.
The AFL punished the gamers for breaching its rule referring to “conduct unbecoming” after investigating allegations of inappropriate behaviour on the Giants’ end-of-season operate on September 18.
The league was tipped off after receiving an nameless criticism the next day.
The Giants had adopted a theme of “controversial {couples}” for the operate, sporting costumes and performing skits.
In a media assertion, the AFL stated a few of the skits had been “fully unacceptable and completely at odds with the code’s values”.
The AFL stated Fahey dressed as a former NRL participant — reportedly Jarryd Hayne — and “simulated inappropriate acts on a intercourse doll”.
McMullin and Hamilton “simulated the September 11 terrorist assault on the World Commerce Centre”, in line with the AFL.
Idun and Whitfield enacted a scene from the film Django Unchained, characterising slavery.
Greene, Taylor, Inexperienced, Keefe and Perryman had been fined for failing to “show acceptable ranges of management moderately anticipated of every of them in failing to step in to cease the acts persevering with”.
Lachie Whitfield was punished for his involvement in a skit. (Getty Photographs/AFL Pictures: Brendon Thorne)
“The behaviour and the disrespect the gamers have demonstrated at this occasion don’t uphold any of the values of the AFL or the Giants and the behaviour shouldn’t be acceptable in any setting at any time,” AFL chief govt Andrew Dillon stated.
“There may be nothing humorous or intelligent about these actions and we’re not as a code and competitors ready to simply accept these behaviours.
“We’re additionally very disillusioned that not one of the leaders sanctioned sought to cease the behaviour.
“I do need to pay credit score to whoever it was who made the nameless criticism and thank them for refusing to stroll previous the behaviours.
“These actions don’t characterize who we’re as a code or who the Giants are as a membership that has labored onerous to construct respect throughout the western Sydney neighborhood.
“We now have spent a whole lot of time, useful resource and vitality working with workers, gamers and golf equipment to construct environments of respect – respect for ladies, respect for folks of various cultures, respect for the broader neighborhood – however clearly, we nonetheless have work to do.
“And we’re dedicated to doing that work.”
Giants captain Toby Greene was among the many gamers fined. (Getty Photographs: Morgan Hancock)
Greene apologised for the behaviour of the Giants gamers.
“As a pacesetter of the membership and captain of the workforce, I’m embarrassed that we’re on this state of affairs and that I did not uphold my duties as a pacesetter to stop it,” he stated in a Giants assertion.
“I’m disillusioned I didn’t adequately course of the state of affairs, and intervene, within the second.
“A few of the costumes and skits that passed off are unbecoming and opposite to the values of our membership and requirements we anticipate of the taking part in group.
“I perceive that as leaders we have to study from this case and guarantee it by no means occurs once more.”
Big chief govt David Matthews stated there was no excuse for the gamers’ behaviour.
“As a membership constructed on the values of inclusiveness and respect for all, it was a transparent breach of the membership’s insurance policies and values in addition to a major departure from the requirements of behaviour that we anticipate of our gamers,” he stated.
The Giants will present schooling classes for your complete taking part in group in relation to violence in opposition to ladies, and racial and spiritual vilification.
