A host of Sydney players have taken a strong stance against the hurling of online abuse towards the club's AFLW side.
In a day dedicated to celebrating women on International Women's Day (Saturday, March 8), the Swans posted to their Instagram,ย Brodie Grundy, James Rowbottom and Will Hayward reading out nasty remarks, such as:
"Hang up the boots and watch from the sidelines. Useless, should be ashamed to wear the Swans jumper, take it off."
"Stop pretending this is a professional sport."
"I don't count the women's team as part of my club. They could fold for all I care."
The trio, struggling to find words that could explain such comments, offered their perspective on the matter, with it hitting Rowbottom particularly close to home.
"It's pretty awful," Rowbottom said in the video."
"It hits close to home because my sister plays AFLW, so a lot of these comments, I can't imagine (such comments) being made towards my sister, which doesn't sit too well for me."
Rowbottom is the older brother of Gold Coast AFLW star Charlie, who was taken with Pick 1 in the 2021 draft.
Grundy shared a similar sentiment to his teammate, saying that the Swans are a club for everyone, responding to the "entitlement" by fans to dismiss the women's side.
"It's interesting ... that entitlement around (calling it) 'my club'," the veteran ruckman said.
"Yes, we love our fans and love our members. But we are one club and everyone belongs. Particularly our AFLW program, it's a well run program and makes up a big part of what makes the Sydney Swans so special.
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"I know as a men's player that's been in the league for a very long time, I've learned a tremendous amount off their professionalism and the way they show up in the workplace.
"When it says, โI don't count the women's team part of my club', that's just not the way we roll anymore. This is a new age and new era and everyone belongs at the Sydney Swans."
