Port Adelaide star Connor Rozee has courageously knocked back a disgusting rumour about him and his family, calling out the behaviour of online trolls on Friday morning.
While speaking on SEN Breakfast, host Kane Cornes provided the Power captain an opportunity to emphatically shut down the speculation surrounding his personal life, which had been growing in intensity in the last week in online spaces.
Rozee highlighted the weight of the emotional toll of the rumour for him and his family, as people he knows within the football community began to spread the false accusation as if it were true.
"I want to make it very clear that this [rumour] is absolutely untrue and there hasn't been even an inkling of truth to any part of what people have been saying about me and my family," Rozee said.
"It's pretty disgusting really, and disappointing to see someone make it up and then a lot of people who I know or have heard of, spreading it to their friends or their family.
"Some players from other clubs or people that I've heard of, it's pretty disappointing to know people can stoop that low and have that sort of character.
"Anything to do with family just shouldn't even be considered when people were thinking that these things are funny. It does impact our lives, especially a lot more than even mine, because I'm in the spotlight more than our wives and kids.
"For anyone that's still wondering or not 100 per cent sure, my wife and I are amazing, we've never been better, I've got great relationships with everyone at the football club. This is a completely made-up rumour, and I just want to put a full stop on it because it got a bit out of hand there for a bit, and it's not okay."
Rozee stated that the AFL's integrity unit is investigating the matter as he hopes the initiator of the rumour is found out and brought to justice.
"I'd love to know who made it up, to be honest, and hold them accountable," Rozee said.
"As I said before, it's pretty disgusting that someone's able to come up with something like that.
"I think the AFL integrity [unit] are taking a look at it. It's really tough these days, unfortunately, with people able to make fake accounts and say whatever they want behind a keyboard.
"I'll wait and see, but the main thing is that my family are okay, and we can move past it now."
With the issue firmly behind him, Rozee and the Power will look to finish their 2025 season strongly with games to come against Carlton and Gold Coast in the next fortnight.
