News Giants in the Media: Important announcement 13/11/24

[Giant Strides]

Hi all,

This is not specifically on topic, but rather than create a specific thread for this, I'll place it here and a reminder in the Forum Rules thread, to gain maximum exposure.

I note that this relates to a practice that has happened on this board, and indeed on most boards within BigFooty, and I have done it, so no-one's pointing fingers specifically at anyone in particular. But please comply so we don;t have problems going forwards.
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Warn Users

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[Giant YoYo]

The Pies now regretting their refusal to come to Sydney for Round zero, 2025?
If the suspensions stand it could advantage the clubs handpicked to play the Giants at the start of the season.

Depending the severity of the suspensions and lack of midfield it could all come together to bring us a horrid start to the season.

 

[Giant Strides]

The Pies now regretting their refusal to come to Sydney for Round zero, 2025?
If the suspensions stand it could advantage the clubs handpicked to play the Giants at the start of the season.

Pointless participating in Round 0 if there are suspensions. The club should tell VFL House to **** off.

 

[BarryAglett]

This is absolutely outrageous. There was a dress-up event, but the club cleared the players of any illegal activity. I fail to see why it’s an issue as it was a PRIVATE party limited only to the players with the public blocked off. Maybe the skits were rude but since when did it became the AFL’s business to police bad jokes/ bad dress sense? F@&$ the AFL


The incident took place at a post-season event with a dress-up theme of “celebrity couples”, and while the Giants’ own probe cleared the players of any illegal activity, the league has come down hard on those involved.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/offensive-skits-afl-prepares-fines-suspensions-as-ugly-details-emerge/news-story/aaa0f20c79d5efd77ea6d26267305d8e

email the vfl and tell them this. I did - but a bit more politely

 

[Mors]

Club Statement

The GIANTS have released the following statement.

www.gwsgiants.com.au

 

[Brave New World]

GWS players under investigation for misconduct at post-season function

Mark Robinson and Lachlan McKirdy

16 October 2024 17:00 hrs

News Sport Network

A skit involving a player dressed as rugby league player Jarryd Hayne and a blow-up sex doll is at the centre of an AFL Integrity investigation into the GWS Giants’ “Wacky Wednesday” antics.

The low-profile player’s act headlined a series of distasteful and offensive dress-ups and performances by players at a private club function promoted as “Troubled Couples”.

Other themes are believed to have involved players dressing as the World Trade Centre towers, and one other player dressed as basketballer Josh Giddey, who was at the centre of, and ultimately cleared of, inappropriate behaviour by the NBA.

There were also reports of a sketch that involved rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs.

Hayne was jailed in 2023 for sexual assault, but in June this year had his conviction quashed and was released from jail.

The post-season scandal could result in half a dozen Giants players suspended, while others could be fined.

Skipper Toby Greene

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Toby Greene

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Career

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Last 5

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K

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HB

10.2

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M

4.8

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T

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G

1.2

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D

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K

9.5

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HB

8.0

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M

4.8

4star

T

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G

2.3

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D

26.6

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K

12.4

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HB

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M

4.8

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T

3.6

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and the general leadership group face fines of up to $20,000 for not stopping the “highly inappropriate” skits.

The details of the event came to light following an anonymous tip-off to the Giants, with many believing it came from a worker at the pub where the function took place.

Another theory is the partner of a player – there were no females at the event – was made aware of the behaviour and ensured the club was informed.

Several players are preparing submissions to AFL Integrity in a bid to avoid a suspension.

It’s understood the Giants are seeking financial penalties so the players can avoid carrying impending penalties for six months.

The “Troubled Couples” event took place on September 18, and while many coaches and staff attended the function throughout the day, it is believed the misconduct occurred later in the evening when mainly players remained.

While some players had dressed innocuously, including as teammates in Giants’ playing gear, others are believed to have gone as other figures including Australian Olympic breaking competitor Rachael Gunn (Raygun).

The Giants launched their own investigations into the event and while they understand nothing illegal took place, it’s believed they are disgusted with some of the offensive behaviour.

Their own impending sanctions, which did not include suspensions, were overruled by the AFL.

The players were informed on Tuesday afternoon of the punishment and that they had about 48 hours to respond. Many were overseas on post-season holidays when they were informed.

The Giants issued a statement on Tuesday night confirming the investigation.

“The Giants are aware of an anonymous allegation of inappropriate behaviour at the players’ end-of-season event last month,” the statement said.

“The club and its integrity unit have been working with the AFL’s integrity unit to investigate. The club will make no further comment until the outcomes of the investigation have been finalised.”

The AFL reiterated the Giants’ statement, saying there would be no further comment until the investigation was completed.

“The AFL and the GWS Giants have been undertaking an investigation into the Giants players’ post-season event which is in its final stages,” the statement read.

“An update will be provided by the AFL once the investigation has concluded.”

The AFL Players’ Association confirmed to The Daily Telegraph that it would be “inappropriate to comment” while the investigation is ongoing

 

[Mors]

Their own impending sanctions, which did not include suspensions, were overruled by the AFL.

I don't understand why the AFL is overriding our punishments. If it only involved Giants players and no one from the public, why are they getting involved?

 

[Land of the Giants]

I don't understand why the AFL is overriding our punishments. If it only involved Giants players and no one from the public, why are they getting involved?

Virtue signalling.

 

[EagleShore]

So, players can use illicit drugs and get away with it under the "mental health" type of claim...

What needs to be established is whether or not any illicit activity was engaged in.

If not, there should be no suspensions or fines, unless of course we are just going to yield to the claims that "some people may have been offended", and that this requires action to prevent such potential offense in the future.

Who are these professionally offended people that insist on censoring the free speech and censuring the legal engagement of individuals and groups to have fun together with their, albeit a bit of nonsense, activities?

Every Giants member should phone the AFL and/or lodge an official complaint against the AFL for censuring the activities of individuals engaging in legal, if distasteful, activities as part of an exercise in team bonding.

This world is going to shit because of this type of overly sensitive reaction by those who insist on being offended by everything, and we as part of an ostensibly free citizenry should be outraged. The woke brigade insist on being perpetually offended...where is everyone else's right to be offended by their insistence on taking offense to anything THEY deem to be offensive?

Maybe the players should've dressed up as drag queens reading to children, draped in the latest ridiculous pride flag which needed brown and black stripes to represent gay and bisexual people of colour (because, you know, the original rainbow pride flag only represented gay or bi people with red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo or violet skin).

Edit: in case this aspect of myself makes any difference in terms of my right to hold such an opinion, I am a gay bloke who is sick to death of the low IQ movement that the proponents of the woke and LGBTQIA+++ agenda have joined.

 

[Mors]

From all the information that we've been drip-fed over the last 24 hours, my understanding is that the worst part of the party was the Jarryd Hayne + blow up doll costume / skit. Everything else (imo) seems fine, even if it is distasteful. The Twin Towers are honestly a great costume even if it is a bit insensitive. From what I can tell, no-one dressed up as diddy, only that someone made a joke referencing him, which at the time, and still is, bloody everywhere with people making jokes about him all the time online.

I can understand fines for all of this, even a suspension for the Jarryd Hayne stuff (regardless of how hypocritical the AFL are being), but to hand out suspensions for some of the other stuff will just be absolutely ridiculous.

 

[Colonial]

From all the information that we've been drip-fed over the last 24 hours, my understanding is that the worst part of the party was the Jarryd Hayne + blow up doll costume / skit. Everything else (imo) seems fine, even if it is distasteful. The Twin Towers are honestly a great costume even if it is a bit insensitive. From what I can tell, no-one dressed up as diddy, only that someone made a joke referencing him, which at the time, and still is, bloody everywhere with people making jokes about him all the time online.

I can understand fines for all of this, even a suspension for the Jarryd Hayne stuff (regardless of how hypocritical the AFL are being), but to hand out suspensions for some of the other stuff will just be absolutely ridiculous.

Should be zero suspensions.
At the most a fine for those involved, though still against it

 

[Mors]

Should be zero suspensions.
At the most a fine for those involved, though still against it

It should be, but the AFL have to save face and won't let this past.

 

[Colonial]

It should be, but the AFL have to save face and won't let this past.

Funny how they have to save face against us but sweep shit under the table for their favorites.

 

[Giant Pete]

 

[Mors]

AFL wants to hand out eight suspensions... Insanity.

 

[Giant Strides]

AFL wants to hand out eight suspensions... Insanity.

Yep. Hope the club fights these hard.

AFLPA should be too, but Danger is too often just a puppet of VFL House.

 

[Colonial]

Let’s be honest we probably won’t do jack. The AFL own our asses.

 

[Orange crush]

Yep. Hope the club fights these hard.

AFLPA should be too, but Danger is too often just a puppet of VFL House.

This all feels like some weird revenge … afl house pissy about Tom Green calling them out?

 

[Giant Gutsache]

Will be interesting to know if the event was booked and paid for by the club or the players. Bit hard to argue it’s a private event if it’s a gathering put on by your employer.
Will also be interested to learn if any coaches were there as the messaging on that seems to have evolved.
Hopefully no one from the marketing/communications group were there either.

 

[Land of the Giants]

AFL wants to hand out eight suspensions... Insanity.

From the perspective of employment law, it becomes a question of what reasons are given by the employer for taking disciplinary action.

Putting aside public-interest questions as to whether the offending behaviour brings the game into disrepute (which is contestable, to say the least) the only reason it became public knowledge at all is because of actions taken by the employer themselves i.e. the AFL. This was a private event attended by consenting individuals. The public didn't know about it and weren't meant to.

If an employee of the venue where the event took place made a complaint, it appears those attending were not made aware of it, and had no chance to modify their behaviour.

The AFL have no doubt done their legal homework - for quite some time, by the look of it - and think they can withstand a legal challenge if they take disciplinary action, even if it is disproportionate.

The whole thing reeks of other agendas.

 

[GWS Goose]

From all the information that we've been drip-fed over the last 24 hours, my understanding is that the worst part of the party was the Jarryd Hayne + blow up doll costume / skit. Everything else (imo) seems fine, even if it is distasteful. The Twin Towers are honestly a great costume even if it is a bit insensitive. From what I can tell, no-one dressed up as diddy, only that someone made a joke referencing him, which at the time, and still is, bloody everywhere with people making jokes about him all the time online.

I can understand fines for all of this, even a suspension for the Jarryd Hayne stuff (regardless of how hypocritical the AFL are being), but to hand out suspensions for some of the other stuff will just be absolutely ridiculous.

My thoughts exactly

 

[MelbourneGWS]

6 players suspended ranging from 4 weeks to 2, with our leadership group fined $5000 each

Young Giant Josh Fahey has been banned for four matches while Jake Riccardi, Joe Fonti, Toby McMullin, Harvey Thomas and Cooper Hamilton have all been banned for two games

Giants players banned, fined for behaviour at end-of-season function

The AFL hands down bans and fines to several GWS players for their behaviour at an end-of-season function

www.afl.com.au

 

[GWS Goose]

The Dillon interview was laughable.
His answers were poor..
The Idun question was excellent.
Also the Keefe question was really good, under what context should he be fined.

 

[Andyy]

This is a f'ing joke.

AFL needs to remember it's a sporting body.

 

[Bjo187]

The Dillon interview was laughable.
His answers were poor..
The Idun question was excellent.
Also the Keefe question was really good, under what context should he be fined.

Dillon has been extremely unimpressive in his first year. When your first year as a CEO can only be remembered for ridiculous over reactions, suspensions and fines, for often trivial offences, you have a lot of work to do. Gillon was actually good in his first year by comparison.

Dillon I had high hopes for, but he comes across as a boring, awkward, do gooder at the moment.

 

[Chipmunk]

I welcome these bans, AFL players are meant to be role models.

This means any time any AFL player does anything wrong they get banned for matches, right.

Right??