Football
21 June, 2025
Clubs reiterate 'bad behaviour' stance
Leaders of the Wimmera Football Netball League have reiterated their stance against inappropriate behaviour.
Clubs are taking the matter so seriously that one club president has declared that if a player from his side were to act in such a manner, their contract could well be "torn up".
It follows an alleged harassment incident recently involving a club in a country football league based in the Mallee.
The alleged misconduct led a female football side, Werrimull, to boycott a recent game against Meringur.
The club fielded a team in their game against Bambill last Saturday, albeit with a different lineup than in every other game this season before the alleged incident, as numerous players had decided to leave the side in the aftermath.
The club plays under the banner of the Millewa Football Netball League, with the association being located on the outskirts of Sunraysia.
It is claimed a member of the male football side became intoxicated at a club function and inappropriately and without consent touched two females during the event.
AFL Victoria is now investigating the alleged incident through its integrity unit.
Asking for a one-week ban for the accused, which the Werrimull Football Netball Club committee denied, the female football side decided that if the accused was allowed to play, they would not take the field in the preceding game.
Stawell Warriors president Shane Field said not only was inappropriate behaviour not okay in a club situation, it wasn't okay across the board.
"There should be a zero tolerance towards this type of behaviour," Field said.
"There is that much education going on and resources people can get their hands on; this behaviour shouldn't have been happening to start with but especially anymore.
Field confirmed it was a topic Stawell had addressed with their players previously, particularly when open-age female footy was introduced.
"However, there can never be too much education about it; it's finding the resources and time to deliver all that education," he said.
"Our club has a zero tolerance towards this, and there is every chance we'd have disciplinary action in place, probably rip up their contract and relinquish the player."
Likewise, Horsham Saints club president Sally Ison said their policy for bad behaviour was "zero".
The Horsham side had an officer for safety in place to deal with any untoward behaviour if it happened, among other things, and they were aware of the correct procedure to follow if anything were to happen, Ison said.
"We are always arms open to anyone who needs to come to us for assistance in any way," she said.
"We have absolutely no tolerance, zero, and it isn't just domestic violence, it's also bad behaviour, really bad behaviour."
And it's a one-in, all-in stance from the club, with all players being treated equally when it comes to bad behaviour, the president confirming players shouldn't be rewarded for bad behaviour – even if they were among the best at the club.
"Times have changed," Ison said.
"If you had a footballer who was a star many years ago, people might have looked the other way, but no, absolutely not anymore."
Ararat club president David Hosking spoke passionately about his club's stance on bad behaviour.
"As a club, we have no tolerance for it at all," Hosking told Wimmera Mallee News.
"We shouldn't be, and we don't consider ourselves any different to society, so in other words – and this goes for a lot of things, be it the stuff yelled out over the fence or the way you treat other people – if it's unacceptable in society, then it is unacceptable in our football/netball club.
"The other thing we would say is we also acknowledge we are not perfect, and while we have come a long way as an organisation, there will be times when people – and whether it's misconduct or other issues, like alcohol consumption – there will be times when it goes wrong, or things aren't as you would like.
"But our role as a club is to educate and show people that it isn't acceptable and it never will be acceptable.
"And if you want to fit in and be part of our organisation, then you need that behaviour to change."
Hosking said he would like to think there wouldn't be a club anywhere that would think any differently.
"I've been president since late 2019," he said.
"We've had issues at the club, some of which are public, others which are private.
"But we haven't had anything of this nature since I have been president, but we are vigilant, and hopefully, we are diligent.
"We've had various courses and people come and speak to us many times over many years."
Founder of It's NEVER Ok, Kim O'Reilly, has added her voice to the conversation.
After being assaulted in 2019, O'Reilly, a domestic violence survivor/victim, started the It's NEVER Ok movement to bring awareness to domestic violence and help change the culture in sports.
A 2022 Victorian Australian of the Year nominee because of her work as an advocate against domestic violence, O'Reilly, formerly of Mildura, nearly lost her life due to abuse by her former partner, Jake Frecker.
His attack on her caused permanent damage to her facial nerves, along with a crushed eye socket, and several of her teeth were broken.
O'Reilly visited clubs in the Wimmera in recent years to present her It's NEVER Ok program.
Clubs in Mildura, the Millewa, Melbourne and Queensland have signed their club names to the "no violence tolerance" policy, but none of the clubs from the Wimmera have.
She said it was good that clubs were now talking the talk, but they needed to walk the walk when it came down to it.
"Clubs can come out in support of it as much as they want, but what are they putting in place?" O'Reilly said.
"We have to learn to do better; we have to learn from this and rise.
"But this is a male problem: they have to pull themselves together and change the way they treat us."
Clubs can pledge to not condone violence by joining the It's NEVER Ok program.
Email itsneverok@outlook.com or message the It's NEVER Ok Facebook page for further information.
