1 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:03,120 Speaker 1: From the newsroom. 2 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:04,640 Speaker 2: A news still come today. 3 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 1: Gooday there, I'm Andrew Bucklow. 4 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 2: Well. This week the AFL has been plunged into crisis. 5 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:14,400 Speaker 2: A star player from the Adelaide CROs has been suspended 6 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:16,960 Speaker 2: after making a homophobic slur during a match. 7 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 3: Isaac Creenkin's season is over. He will be suspended for 8 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 3: five weeks. The Adelaide Football Club and Isaac Creenkan will 9 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:27,920 Speaker 3: have the opportunity to appeal the sanction and try and 10 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:28,800 Speaker 3: get it reduced. 11 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:32,479 Speaker 2: What's so alarming is that this isn't an isolated incident. 12 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 2: Three other players have been suspended in the past two years. 13 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 4: Port Adelaide has accepted the three match banhanded to Jeremy 14 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 4: Finlayson for his homophobic slur. 15 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 3: So The Australia's Jack Graham has been suspended by the 16 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 3: AFL for making a vile homophobic slur. 17 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 2: Lco Suns player was handed a five game suspension. 18 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm extremely sorry for what I've said and it 19 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 4: won't ever happen again. 20 00:00:56,840 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 2: In today's episode, we're going to chat to a gay 21 00:00:58,920 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 2: footy player to open up about being verbally abused mid game. 22 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 2: Will reveal how his teammates treat him in the locker 23 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:07,840 Speaker 2: room and gives his thoughts and why an AFL player 24 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:15,200 Speaker 2: has never come out of the closet. Joining me now 25 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 2: is Michael O'Donnell, who plays footy for the UNSW Eastern 26 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 2: Suburbs Bulldogs in Sydney. 27 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:23,440 Speaker 1: Get a Michael, Hi, how are you? Yeah? Very well? Thanks. 28 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:25,319 Speaker 1: I want to get into your personal story. 29 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 2: So you played footy when you were a kid, but 30 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:29,679 Speaker 2: you gave the game away when you started to realize 31 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 2: that you were gay. 32 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 1: What prompted that decision? 33 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:35,560 Speaker 5: It was sort of it was around the idea of 34 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:38,880 Speaker 5: about sort of thirteen, I've been playing football at school, 35 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:43,319 Speaker 5: playing football for a local footy club, and I just 36 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:47,400 Speaker 5: sort of started to realize that the people around me 37 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 5: were not like me. It was not what you saw 38 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 5: around you within whether it was a professional game, whether 39 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 5: it was the media, whether it was the administration, you 40 00:01:57,280 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 5: just didn't see gay people there, and so got to 41 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 5: a point where you sort of thought, well, maybe there 42 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 5: isn't a place for me in this game. 43 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 2: I mean, that's obviously very sad, but thankfully you managed 44 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 2: to get back into footy again in your twenties. What 45 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 2: was behind that decision? 46 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 5: It was an accident in honesty, I went to one 47 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,959 Speaker 5: of my brother's games playing in Sydney, and at halftime, 48 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:22,320 Speaker 5: the coach came out and asked me if I began 49 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:24,919 Speaker 5: to come around for a run around for one week 50 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 5: because they were short on players, and I thought, I'll 51 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 5: bugger it, I might as well do one game. And 52 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 5: that's about ten years ago, one hundred games and three 53 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 5: premierships later. 54 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:37,240 Speaker 1: Wow. 55 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:42,200 Speaker 2: So when you eventually decided to rejoin that club full time, 56 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 2: did you feel pressure to open up to your teammates 57 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 2: about your sexuality back then? 58 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 5: I think what made it easier for me is because 59 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 5: my brother was playing, I'd met a whole bunch of 60 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:55,960 Speaker 5: the group before they all knew, so I didn't have 61 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,359 Speaker 5: to do that opening up, it had already been done. 62 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 6: That really helped, I think in that in that circumstance. 63 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:07,240 Speaker 2: And how were they initially when you rejoined that team 64 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 2: where they just completely fine with the fact you were gay. 65 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:14,079 Speaker 6: Yeah, there's never been any major issues. Yeah. 66 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 5: I've felt really really welcome, really safe within the group 67 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 5: and that hasn't changed across the ten years. 68 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:23,640 Speaker 2: I'm sure this is a question that comes up all 69 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 2: the time in footy locker rooms. There's a lot of 70 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:27,680 Speaker 2: nudity plays shower together after the game. 71 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 1: I'm gay. I've showered with plenty of straight. 72 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 2: Blogs after sport, and I swear to God that if 73 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 2: anyone feels awkward, it's us. This is my experience anyway, 74 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 2: because we don't want them to think we're checking them 75 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 2: out or anything like that. What's been your experience in 76 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 2: that area playing footy? 77 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 6: Look, I I completely agree. 78 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 5: It's just it's not It's not a sexualized thing, and 79 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 5: that's the most important thing to remember. It's you've just 80 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 5: played a game of footage. You're getting the mud off 81 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 5: your knees and elbows. 82 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 6: And that's that's what it is. And I just don't 83 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 6: think there's any reality to the concern in the end. Yeah. 84 00:03:59,080 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 1: Good. 85 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 2: You know Billy Brownless has made comments on the Footy 86 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 2: Show in the past the. 87 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 4: Only thing I would be uncomfortable with if I was 88 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 4: in the showers, and in the showers and I knew 89 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 4: a play was gay and we're all sharing together. 90 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 2: So you haven't had any awkward moments where teammates have 91 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 2: refused to shower in front of you or feel uncomfortable 92 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 2: with you in a locker room. 93 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 6: No, not at all. 94 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 1: Good. 95 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 2: Have you ever been on the receiving end of a 96 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 2: homophobic slurve, either from an opponent or even from the sidelines. 97 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 5: Very early on, so probably I think probably my second 98 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 5: game playing football, something was said and I literally just 99 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:38,680 Speaker 5: stopped the game. I spoke to the umpire immediately, the player 100 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:42,800 Speaker 5: was called up on it and we moved on. Yeh, 101 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 5: that's that's ten years ago. There's been incidents around me 102 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:51,360 Speaker 5: that I've heard, but not directed at me particularly, but 103 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 5: they do get called out nowadays, and it's a very 104 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 5: different circumstance to what it was, you know, when I 105 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:57,160 Speaker 5: was growing up. 106 00:04:57,640 --> 00:04:59,840 Speaker 2: So even in your league, there's a punishment for someone 107 00:04:59,839 --> 00:05:01,559 Speaker 2: if they do make a homophobics alert. 108 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 6: Absolutely you get. 109 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 5: We have cards at our level, so you get, you 110 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 5: get red carded and then be taken up the tribunal. 111 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:11,720 Speaker 2: This is obviously happening in the AFL at the moment. 112 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:15,440 Speaker 2: We've had four incidents in two years, which is completely unacceptable. 113 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 1: How troubling is that for you to hear it is troubling. 114 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 5: It's frustrating that you know, it's sort of come one 115 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:26,279 Speaker 5: after the other. I do think that it's a question 116 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 5: to be asked as to whether or not is this 117 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:33,039 Speaker 5: an increase in the instances of it happening, or is 118 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 5: it just the fact that they're being called out now? 119 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 5: And I think that's something we have to ask ourselves. 120 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 5: And because I doubt very much that over the last 121 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:45,400 Speaker 5: two years there's been this enormous spate of increase, I 122 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:47,480 Speaker 5: think it's probably just that it's now being called. 123 00:05:47,279 --> 00:05:49,680 Speaker 1: Out, which is a good thing, right, Yeah. 124 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 6: Absolutely. 125 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 1: Some people would say, you know, it's just words. 126 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 2: Tough enough, what would you say to them? 127 00:05:56,880 --> 00:05:59,720 Speaker 5: I think it's it may just be words to some people. 128 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 5: And for someone like me, who's you know, I've now 129 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:04,280 Speaker 5: been around the game for a long time. I'm confident 130 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:08,240 Speaker 5: who I am. It's not a word that would affect 131 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 5: me directly anymore. But it's not about me. It's about 132 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 5: the young people around the ground. I mean, I play 133 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 5: with eighteen year olds. We've got under our named team 134 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:19,600 Speaker 5: at the football club. You just don't know what other 135 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 5: people are going through, and it's about the people around 136 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 5: you that are hearing those sort of words and might 137 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 5: make them get up and go, well, I'm not going 138 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 5: to play next week. I'm not invited. Don't have to 139 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 5: be openly gay. I mean I wasn't at the time 140 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:35,800 Speaker 5: that I stopped playing, but they still can realize that, 141 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:38,560 Speaker 5: oh wait, no, that's what people around here think of me, 142 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 5: or think of who I am, and I've got to 143 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 5: leave the sport and that would be a real shame 144 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:46,480 Speaker 5: stick around. 145 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 2: In just the moment, we'll discuss if the penalty for 146 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:52,040 Speaker 2: using homophobic slurs outweighs the crime, and we'll get Michael's 147 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:55,240 Speaker 2: opinion on why there's never been an openly gay AFL player. 148 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:06,279 Speaker 2: Welcome back. I'm chatting to Ozzie Rules player Michael O'Donnell. Now, Michael, 149 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 2: the four AFL players who've made homophobics lurs in the 150 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:11,640 Speaker 2: past couple of years have been suspended for between three 151 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 2: to five games each. Earlier this week, Gold Coast Sons 152 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:18,880 Speaker 2: coach Damien Hardwick suggested on fox Foot's AFL three sixty 153 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:21,200 Speaker 2: program that that could be a little bit excessive. 154 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:23,560 Speaker 4: We certainly know there's no place for it in the 155 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 4: game and terms of this and the other, but at 156 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 4: what stage, you know, what can we say and what 157 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 4: can't we say? And this is completely on the We 158 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:35,000 Speaker 4: cannot say this, and we understand, but it's probably the 159 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:37,000 Speaker 4: penalty to me that I have a little bit of 160 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 4: an issue with I'm not sure what you guys think, 161 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:41,080 Speaker 4: but it's a significant. 162 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 5: Penalty, I feel. 163 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 1: What do you think, Michael, I think. 164 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 6: They've been warned. 165 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 5: It might be seen as excessive by some people, but 166 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 5: you know, we've had these these four incidents over the 167 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 5: last couple of years. The warnings have been that you've 168 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 5: been told that if you make a homophobics lurer on 169 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 5: a football field, you will be punished and it will 170 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 5: continue to increase. So whether or not people think it's 171 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 5: excessive or not, that's what's been on the table, and 172 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:11,920 Speaker 5: so that's I think that's a really odd statement. 173 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:13,720 Speaker 1: And this is how we stamp it out right. 174 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 2: You know, if you lessen that penalty and make it 175 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 2: two or three weeks, some players might be like, oh, 176 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 2: well it's only two or three weeks, and if it's 177 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 2: early on in the season, doesn't make that big a difference. 178 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 2: But by making it so harsh, it's a really strong 179 00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:27,120 Speaker 2: stance by the AFL just saying we won't stand for 180 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:27,920 Speaker 2: this at all. 181 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:30,560 Speaker 5: Absolutely in the players then realize that they're not just 182 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 5: punishing themselves, they're punishing their teammates and their club. I mean, 183 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:36,600 Speaker 5: we have a circumstance now where teams are going into 184 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 5: finals and Adelaide could be losing one of their best 185 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 5: players for the entire final series because of a stupid 186 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 5: comment made on the field. And so that's what I 187 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 5: think the teams need to galvanize together and let players 188 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 5: who do use these sort of words know that you 189 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:58,200 Speaker 5: don't look cool, you're not intimidating anyone. You're just an idiot, 190 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:01,959 Speaker 5: and you're punished the rest of us because of your 191 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 5: own inability to learn. 192 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 2: The AFL is the only major sporting code in the 193 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:09,680 Speaker 2: world that hasn't had a player come out as gay 194 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 2: while playing. Why do you think that is? 195 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 5: It's a very hard one to tell, and obviously I 196 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 5: think the pressure does build when it hasn't happened for 197 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:22,560 Speaker 5: so long. I think we do have openly gay players 198 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:26,000 Speaker 5: with the AFL who are openly gay within their friendship groups, 199 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 5: their clubs, and their family. They're just not willing them 200 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:31,640 Speaker 5: to take that step and become that poster boy in 201 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:34,480 Speaker 5: the media. And I think that is that's a real, 202 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:38,080 Speaker 5: really difficult step to make because not everyone is born 203 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:40,080 Speaker 5: to be an advocate. I mean, I can assure you 204 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 5: that when I before I came out, when I was 205 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:44,880 Speaker 5: twenty three. The idea that I'd be speaking to someone 206 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:48,199 Speaker 5: in the media about it would have never crossed my mind. 207 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 5: So the other thing is AFL clubs. I've always seen 208 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:55,640 Speaker 5: them as an extension of high school. You sort of 209 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:58,320 Speaker 5: leave your high school environment. A lot of them have 210 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:01,600 Speaker 5: gone to all boys schools because private school kids. They 211 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:03,760 Speaker 5: then go into an environment where there were forty five 212 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:05,560 Speaker 5: people who are around the same age as them. 213 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:06,719 Speaker 6: They get told what to do. 214 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:10,240 Speaker 5: They hang out with these guys week in week out, 215 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:14,160 Speaker 5: and the idea of you not conforming to the norms 216 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:16,160 Speaker 5: of that, I think there's an enormous. 217 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:18,600 Speaker 6: Pressure around that which can hold people back. 218 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 2: So is there something that needs to change in the 219 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:24,000 Speaker 2: AFL for a player to feel safe to come out. 220 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 5: My hope is that there will be a young drafte 221 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:30,800 Speaker 5: that comes through because my experience, having gone into an 222 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:34,760 Speaker 5: AFL club as the only gay, openly gay male player 223 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:37,240 Speaker 5: is you know, over the years, I've had people come 224 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:40,040 Speaker 5: to me and tell me how the whole environment's changed 225 00:10:40,080 --> 00:10:43,280 Speaker 5: around me because I've been there, and that's what you 226 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 5: want to see. 227 00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 6: Within the AFL. 228 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:47,320 Speaker 5: The only way to educate people, I think, is to 229 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:51,440 Speaker 5: have people around them who are gay, whether it's family members, 230 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 5: whether it's teammates, whether it's friends. But because they've grown 231 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 5: up in this sort of microcosm of society where it's 232 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 5: hanging around with the boys, ultra masculine environment, a lot 233 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 5: of them just haven't come across gay people and that's 234 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 5: going to really make it difficult for any education purposes. 235 00:11:07,360 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 2: You mentioned that obviously there would be pressure on the 236 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 2: first player to come out in the media, they would 237 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 2: be the poster boy. But I'll tell you what think 238 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:16,000 Speaker 2: of the sponsorships as well, Right, you would make so 239 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:16,760 Speaker 2: much money. 240 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:21,160 Speaker 5: From from an entirely cynical point of view, the amount 241 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:24,920 Speaker 5: of money they would make would be would be astronomical. 242 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:28,560 Speaker 5: I mean, AFL is the biggest sport in the country. 243 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:31,600 Speaker 5: We've had players come out in other sports and they've 244 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:33,680 Speaker 5: done quite well out of the advocacy and out of 245 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:39,040 Speaker 5: the sponsorship. But yeah, an AFL player coming out would yeah, 246 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 5: the next level in terms. 247 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:42,080 Speaker 1: Of that one hundred percent. 248 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:46,199 Speaker 2: Final question for you, how are the Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs 249 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:47,000 Speaker 2: going this season? 250 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:48,920 Speaker 6: Pretty well? Across the board? 251 00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:53,200 Speaker 5: Actually regrets our Premier divisions up in third position, our 252 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 5: women's prems on the cast, We're making their first final 253 00:11:56,800 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 5: series and we're in finals across the board in the 254 00:11:59,520 --> 00:11:59,960 Speaker 5: lower grade. 255 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:01,880 Speaker 6: So it's been a good year for us. 256 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 1: Good on. That is good to hear. 257 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 2: All right, thank you so much for taking the time 258 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 2: to chat tonews dot com dot you really appreciate it. 259 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 6: No worries at all, Thank you very much. 260 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 1: That was Michael O'Donnell there. 261 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:13,720 Speaker 2: Hey, if you're a gay AFL player who is listening 262 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 2: right now and you want to come out of the closet, 263 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 2: give me a buzzont caddie, not for a date, just 264 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 2: so you know you can make the announcement on this podcast, 265 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:23,480 Speaker 2: think of the ratings that go through the roof. But 266 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:24,839 Speaker 2: also call me if you want to have a date. 267 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 2: Doesn't bother me. All right, thank you so much for listening. 268 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:28,360 Speaker 2: I'll chat to you again tomorrow. 269 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:32,839 Speaker 6: Follow us, subscribe to from the newsroom wherever you get 270 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:34,880 Speaker 6: your podcasts.