Footy fans threaten to boycott games after GWS players were hit with bans and fines over their Wacky Wednesday celebration: ‘That would totally mess up the woke AFL’

AFL fans have turned against the league following the punishment of GWS players for inappropriate and offensive actions at their Wacky Wednesday party, calling for boycotts.

A total of 13 Giants players were banned or fined by the AFL for their actions at the September 18 party following the end of their season.

The following day, an anonymous complaint was made to the AFL, prompting a joint investigation with the Giants, resulting in the sanctions announced on Thursday evening.

League chief executive Andrew Dillon said there will be ‘big lessons’ for GWS and the rest of the league in the wake of the feature.

“Clubs, as they do, should be able to celebrate or commiserate at the end of the season,” Dillon said.

“But I think there will be big lessons for GWS, and I think there will be lessons for all our clubs.

‘What is important is that there is supervision and that better decisions are made. What we have here is a small number of players making very bad choices, terrible mistakes.”

Fringe Giants player Josh Fahey was given the harshest punishment, with a four-match suspension

The AFL has come under fire for its decision to ban players for their actions during a private function

Giants edge Josh Fahey has been suspended for four games, while key forward Jake Riccardi leads four teammates who will miss the first two games of next season.

Captain Toby Greene was one of the senior players fined for failing to intervene to stop the skits. No club officials were sanctioned.

Channel Nine’s Tom Morris has reported that Fahey dressed up as former NRL star Jarryd Hayne, while Jake Ricciardi dressed up as a taxi driver and they simulated inappropriate acts on a sex doll.

Connor Idun and Lachie Whitfield reportedly acted in a movie scene that featured slavery.

And it was reported that Toby McMullin and Cooper Hamilton simulated the September 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, while Harvey Thomas and Joe Fonti performed an inappropriate skit involving a famous sportsman.

It has also been reported that the skits involved Australian athletes Josh Giddey and Raygun, along with American rapper P Diddy.

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said there were “lessons” to be learned from the debacle

Captain Toby Green was another star punished by the AFL for the skits

Former Collingwood star Dane Swan led a chorus of objections to the penalties, slamming the side’s staff member who allegedly complained about the players’ conduct.

“You have to kinda hope these GWS guys sacrificed a live goat or something in this pub because these punishments are ridiculous from what is being told now,” he posted.

‘The bartender who betrayed them also deserves prison time. Always a disgusting thing to do at a private event.”

And several fans have called for action, including boycotting GWS games, to take a stand against the AFL’s decision.

‘If I was GWS I wouldn’t perform in the first four games of the season. That would completely stuff the woke AFL,” said one fan.

“I suggest that all fans attending the match in the first round of the season next year should put black tape over the AFL logo on their jerseys,” another suggested.

Others wanted a league-wide boycott, with one posting: “Imagine all clubs boycott and move to the ORA (Oz Rules Association).”

“Just fucking strike until some sense comes out of this establishment,” another added.

“Players’ association must fight this,” wrote another.

“The entire GWS cheer team should show up for the first round dressed as RayGun,” another angry fan suggested.

There were numerous comments online criticizing the AFL for being ‘woke’ over its actions in punishing the Giants players

There were hundreds of online comments criticizing the AFL for being ‘woke’, with many questioning the validity of punishing players for actions carried out in a private setting.

‘Unacceptable? What is unacceptable is the AFL overstepping players’ personal boundaries. We must protect what is sacred in this game: our players and fans,” raged one footy supporter.

“Hopefully someone makes a new football league because this is going down the toilet,” another posted.

“What’s next is that players are suspended if they misbehave at home or watch a TV program that offends someone somewhere?” asked another.

“It really makes me sick of the AFL being the arbiter of community standards. I will decide what is right and wrong and I am fully capable of communicating with a club if I believe their players have broken these standards,” said another.

Although the comments on social media were overwhelmingly against the AFL’s decision to punish the GWS players, the league did have some supporters.

“AFL should have gone even faster here. The comments about this from people calling it ‘weak’, ‘soft’ and ‘woke’ show how pathetic some people are. It’s disgraceful behavior.’ posted one footy fan.

“The AFL is clearly not ‘woke’ enough as we have had three people banned for homophobic language in 2024 alone, and players making jokes about rape, slavery and terrorism. Every time people get mad at the AFL because they punish them too,” another commented.

“If you think these punishments are wrong, then you are the problem. Completely justified by the AFL,” another added.