Gold Coast player investigated for alleged homophobic slur

The AFL is investigating a ninth allegation of a homophobic slur by a VFL or AFL player in two-and-a-half seasons.

Gold Coast ruckman Max Knobel allegedly made the remark during a VFL match against the Brisbane Lions on Saturday.

The alleged incident happened on the same weekend that the Sydney Swans were due to celebrate the LGBTQI+ community against St Kilda, but revoked the SCG fixture’s “pride” status after young Saint Lance Collard was suspended for using homophobic language for a second time earlier this season.

A Gold Coast Suns spokesperson confirmed the latest AFL integrity probe on Sunday.

“The Gold Coast Suns are aware of an incident involving one of its players in Saturday’s VFL match against the Brisbane Lions,” the spokesperson said.

“The club is currently cooperating fully with the AFL’s Integrity Unit as part of an ongoing investigation.”

This masthead has confirmed that Knobel is the player being investigated.

The AFL also confirmed the matter was in their hands. “We are investigating a matter arising from the VFL round 11 match between the Gold Coast Suns and Brisbane Lions,” a league spokesperson said.

A source familiar with the incident said the 21-year-old was “extremely remorseful” and had self-reported to Gold Coast officials.

Knobel, a 209-centimetre ruckman, joined the Suns in the 2024 rookie draft. The son of former Brisbane, St Kilda and Richmond player Trent Knobel was previously at Fremantle and is yet to break through for an AFL game.

Repeated instances of homophobic abuse over the past two seasons have prompted some in the LGBTQI+ community to express frustration that there is too much focus on penalties and not enough on education and social change.

Lions player Koby Evans was last month suspended for four matches over an incident, also in the VFL, after his remorse was taken into account.

Jeremy Finlayson (three matches), Jack Graham (four), Riak Andrew (five), Wil Powell (five), Izak Rankine (four), and Collard (six) have also been suspended for using a homophobic slur.

Collard was sanctioned over a second incident in the VFL earlier this season, his initial nine-week suspension reduced to four weeks on appeal, with two weeks suspended.

The St Kilda player denied calling his opponent a “f—ing f—–” , saying the word he used was “maggot”.

The Swans decided not to hold their pride game against the Saints on Sunday, and will instead promote LGBTQI+ inclusion and safety against the Western Bulldogs in round 17.

The Rainbow Swans told this masthead last month that playing the match against St Kilda would have been “just too distracting and [would] take away from the purpose of the Pride Game, which is obviously to promote diversity and inclusivity and be a real celebration”.

The AFL removed the head of its appeals board, Will Houghton, KC, after his controversial judgement in the Collard case, which took into account that the recipient on the end of the remark was not personally offended by it, and observed that football is “a hard game. It is highly competitive, particularly at its higher levels. It is commonplace that players can employ language from time to time which is racist, sexist or homophobic whilst on the field”.

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon rejected Houghton’s reasoning.

“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,” Dillon said.

“We will not accept, excuse or normalise behaviour and language that demeans, discriminates or vilifies people based on who they are.”

The league has since appointed dual Hawthorn premiership player and lawyer Richard Loveridge as interim chair of the appeals board.

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