AFL urged to do more to stop homophobia by West Coast Eagles great and former senior coach Danielle Laidley

West Coast great and former senior coach Danielle Laidley has called on the AFL to do more in educating players after St Kilda player Lance Collard allegedly used a homophobic slur on-field for the second time in less than two years. Collard is being investigated by the AFL’s integrity unit amid claims he used a slur in St Kilda’s VFL match against Frankston on Friday night. The league is facing an epidemic of homophobic incidents, with the latest accusations against Collard coming two years after he was banned for six matches after a similar incident in 2024 and was ordered to undergo a Pride in Sport education program. It has led to calls for Collard to be sacked by St Kilda if he is found guilty. The AFL says it provides a mixture of in-person and online training through clubs for every player each season. Three players were banned in 2024 for using offensive terms, while West Coast’s Jack Graham and Adelaide’s Izak Rankine were both slapped with four match bans last season. It emerged on Sunday Collard’s alleged sledge was reported to an umpire by a Frankston opponent, however he will reportedly claim he used the word “maggot”. Laidley said she wants to see the league do more to stamp out homophobia. “It’s disappointing that there is another incidence of this,” she told The West Australian. “I have always been one for education and supporting the person if they have made a mistake, which allegedly he has. It’s his second time. That now is not acceptable and he needs a big, big punishment for this. “Depending on what happens with his suspension, I point my finger fairly and squarely at the AFL here. “Maybe it’s his education process needs more, more than sitting in front of a computer. “It needs people who are perhaps in the rainbow community to sit down with him and talk through it and talk to their playing group. “Collard is to blame. Two times, he’s a slow learner. But the AFL, it’s just terrible.” Former Hawthorn star Campbell Brown also said: “it is clear the education side of things hasn’t worked ... to do it twice in the space of (24 months) puts his career in jeopardy”. A verdict is expected to be handed down by the league early this week. A long suspension would be a significant blow to the young West Australian’s career, given he has played just 15 games for the Saints and none so far this season. Former AFLW champion and Channel 7 analyst Kate McCarthy has called for the Saints to consider sacking Collard if the 21-year-old is found guilty. “If the St Kilda Football Club is serious about the long-term commitment they’ve made to the LGBTQIA+ community, this is the time for them to take a stand,” she told AFL.com. “I think you have the right to make one mistake with an issue like this, face your penalty, go through your education. I think if it happens a second time there is more serious actions that need to be taken. “If St Kilda is completely serious about championing for the LGBTQIA+ community, I think they will part ways with Lance Collard on the back of this.” Asked about the incident on Sunday, league CEO Andrew Dillon said it would be “dealt with in due course” but did conceded it is “not something that we want to be dealing with”. Collard is also facing a ban for a round-arm hit on opponent Jackson Voss in the same game. It is unclear whether or not those bans would be served concurrently.