St Kilda’s Lance Collard will face a disciplinary tribunal next week to determine whether he directed a homophobic comment at his Frankston opponent during a VFL match last week.
Collard denies he said the word he is alleged to have used and has maintained that stance with investigators.
It will be the first time an AFL player has faced a disciplinary hearing on such a matter. The details of who will chair the hearing are yet to be determined.
The AFL confirmed in a short statement that hearing would take place after the Easter long weekend:
“The AFL has referred a charge of an alleged breach of AFL Rule 2.3 (a) (conduct unbecoming) against St Kilda player Lance Collard during the round two VFL match against Frankston to a disciplinary tribunal hearing, which will be heard next week at a date and time to be determined”.
St Kilda have a bye this week.
Collard was suspended for six matches in 2024 after using a homophobic slur when playing for Sandringham against Williamstown.
He admitted to using the term at that time and underwent Pride in Sport training as part of his penalty.
The 21-year-old has spoken to the AFL integrity unit as part of this investigation and claimed he used another phrase, which was not homophobic. He has not played for the Saints this year but has played 17 matches in his first two seasons and has been developing as a small forward.
Previous players suspended for making homophobic comments on the ground have admitted their use and accepted the penalty handed down. Former Port Adelaide player Jeremy Finlayson was the first player suspended for the offence. He received a three-match ban in 2024.
Since then, the penalties have been inconsistent. Gold Coast’s Wil Powell was banned for five matches, West Coast’s Jack Graham for four matches, Sydney’s Riak Andrew for five matches and Adelaide’s Izak Rankine banned for four after compelling medical evidence was used to reduce his ban from five.
However, Collard’s denial of the allegation has made it difficult for league investigators to ascertain exactly what happened, hence the referral to the disciplinary tribunal.
The AFL has refused to develop a set penalty for homophobic slurs, although sources said pre-season the starting point would be five matches.
The players’ association has repeatedly called for a framework to be established so that penalties for misconduct can be consistent.
In 2024, when Collard was first suspended, the AFLPA condemned his language, adding: “We have repeatedly called for greater transparency and consistency in relation to how the AFL sanctions players and have expressed our concerns that this work has not further progressed”.
Collard, who is contracted until the end of 2027, is already serving a two-match suspension arising out of that game as he was banned for a high hit on Frankston’s Jackson Voss, which led to a melee.
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