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Six GWS players have copped suspensions from the AFL for their role in the club’s controversial “Wacky Wednesday” event.
Youngster Josh Fahey has been hit hardest, dealt a four-game ban for his role in comedy skits during the event at a private function in Sydney in the days after the Giants’ semi final loss to Brisbane.
On the night, given the theme “Troubled Couples”, players dressed up as everything from Olympic breakdancer “Raygun” to the World Trade Centre, with the appearances of a Jarryd Hayne costume and a blow-up doll particularly controversial.
Fahey was dressed as Hayne, who was jailed in 2023 for sexual assault before having his conviction overturned earlier this year.
Other Giants received two game suspensions, with Jake Riccardi, Toby McMullin, Harvey Thomas, Joe Fonti and delisted former player Cooper Hamilton thus sanctioned.
The AFL reported that Riccardi partnered Fahey during the comedy skits, while McMullin and Hamilton performed the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre, Thomas came as an unnamed sportsman with Fonti partnering him as a girl.
Josh Fahey. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Connor Idun and Lachie Whitfield were among those fined for re-enacting a scene from the movie Django Unchained “characterising slavery”. Idun has Ghanaian heritage.
Others fined include captain Toby Green, Tom Green, Sam Taylor, Harry Perryman – who has since moved to Collingwood as a free agent – and Lachie Keeffe.
They were all fined $5000 as members of the Giants leadership group for not doing enough to address the behaviour on the night.
AFL players are on notice for what happens at end-of-season team functions after chief executive Andrew Dillon said there will be “big learnings” for GWS and the rest of the competition in the wake of the September 18 function debacle.
After announcing the “conduct unbecoming” punishments, Dillon was asked whether this meant the end of the post-season rituals collectively known as “Mad Mondays”, which usually feature players dressing in costume and then holding private functions.
“Clubs, as they do, should be able to celebrate or commiserate their end of season,” Dillon said.
“But I think for GWS there will be big learnings from this, and I think there’ll be learnings for all of our clubs.
“What’s important is there’s oversight and better decisions made. What we have here is a small number of players here making really poor choices, terrible mistakes.”
“The behaviour and the disrespect the players have demonstrated at this event do not uphold any of the values of the AFL or the Giants and the behaviour is not acceptable in any setting at any time.
“There is nothing funny or clever about these actions and we are not as a code and competition prepared to accept these behaviours.
“We are also very disappointed that none of the leaders sanctioned sought to stop the behaviour.
“I do want to pay credit to whoever it was who made the anonymous complaint and thank them for refusing to walk past the behaviours.
Toby Greene celebrates a goal. (Photo by Matt King/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)
“These actions do not represent who we are as a code or who the Giants are as a club that has worked hard to build respect across the western Sydney community.
“We have spent a lot of time, resource and energy working with staff, players and clubs to build environments of respect – respect for women, respect for people of different cultures, respect for the wider community – but clearly, we still have work to do. And we are committed to doing that work.
“For the most part our clubs and our AFL players do the right thing and can come together to celebrate or commiserate without the type of behaviour demonstrated here.
“What transpired at the function is not acceptable – not to the other men, women or anyone who is part of the club. Not for all the people in our industry and not for the wider public.
“I want to apologise to the community and to everyone who shares our disappointment, my disappointment at this behaviour and to reinforce that respect is not an option, it is a non-negotiable and we will continue to work until everyone in our game understands that.”
Dillon confirmed there was CCTV footage of the function, which had been “helpful” to the investigation.
In a club statement, Greene apologised and said he was “embarrassed”, adding: “Some of the costumes and skits that took place are unbecoming and contrary to the values of our club and standards we expect of the playing group.”
Giants AFLW captain Bec Beeson was scathing in her comments.
“We were deeply hurt and angered when learning of the behaviour that occurred,” she said.
Jake Riccardi. (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Giants chief executive Dave Matthews said there was “no excuse” for the players’ behaviour and steps will be taken to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
“There is absolutely no excuse for the behaviour that took place and we’re very distressed by some of the incidents that occurred,” he said.
“As a club built on the values of inclusiveness and respect for all, it was a clear breach of the club’s policies and values as well as a significant departure from the standards of behaviour that we expect of our players.
“We have taken these matters seriously from the outset with a full investigation by the club, alongside the AFL.
“On behalf of the club, I apologise to our members, partners and all stakeholders.
“The players involved have apologised unreservedly for their behaviour and take responsibility for contravening the standards we expect in relation to respect, equality, inclusion and safety.
“We believe this is an isolated incident, but we understand the severity of the situation and the sanctions reflect that. As a club, alongside the AFL playing group, we take full responsibility and are implementing measures to ensure this never happens again.”
On Wednesday, Greene’s manager has questioned whether a $20,000 AFL fine would be too much for the GWS captain over the players’ function debacle.
But Paul Connors acknowledges the Giants captain “needed to be better”.
According to Nine’s Tom Morris, the complaint was made by a bartender who was not present at the event, but viewed it on CCTV.
GWS and the league looked into the function, held in the week after the club’s season ended with a straight-sets finals exit., saying some of the allegations are “distressing and entirely contrary to the club’s values and policies.”
After blowing a lead in their qualifying final against Sydney, GWS were 44 points ahead at home against eventual premiers Brisbane before losing that match as well.
“Toby accepts that he’s the leader of the club and he needed to be better,” Connors told SEN on Thursday morning.
“But additionally, he had as much interest being on that Mad Monday as you would have done. He’d lost a game (where) he was up by 44 points.
“He was emotionally drained and not in a state of thinking about anything.
“So yes, Toby accepts that he could have done things better, but again, it’s others to debate whether $20,000 is too much.”
Greene was last year’s All-Australian captain and is a foundation Giants player, with 239 games for the club since 2012.
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