The AFL are seemingly following suit with the authorities in Western Australia, who tore down a statue of disgraced footy great Nicky Winmar, by reviewing his place in the Hall of Fame.
Winmar was found guilty of smashing a woman’s head against a door during a petrifying attack in northern Victoria on May 14 last year.
The ex-Saint was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022 but the league have now confirmed his position is being looked at.
There is precedent for the AFL to remove the legend status of a player who has already received the honour.
Back in 2023, former North Melbourne player Barry Cable was stripped of his legend status after he was found to have sexually abused a young girl during the peak of his career.
The charter was then altered, including a new section that allowed for the AFL Commission to ‘remove any person for conduct which brings the AFL, the Hall of Fame inductee, any AFL club or Australian football in disrepute.’
Nicky Winmar’s position in the Hall of Fame is under review by the AFL
Winmar has been found guilty of smashing a woman’s head against a door during a petrifying attack
In 2023, Barry Cable was stripped of his legend status after he was found to have sexually abused a young girl during the peak of his career
The 60-year-old is also a member of the St Kilda Hall of Fame, but the club is yet to make any comment on whether his position will be subject to any action following the verdict.
Workers used a crane to take down the $100,000 piece in the early hours of Sunday morning after Premier Roger Cook ordered its removal in the wake of the guilty finding in a Victorian court on Friday.
Cook directed VenuesWest to bring down the statue shortly after the verdict was handed down in Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
‘Violence against women is never acceptable, and it is important we send a strong message to the community,’ Cook said.
‘Following Nicky Winmar’s conviction, I’m of the firm view that it is no longer appropriate for that statue to be displayed.’
Cook’s call was backed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who said, ‘There is no place for violence against women anywhere in Australia. I support the premier’s decision.’
Erected in 2019, the statue depicts arguably the most famous moment of Winmar’s career, when he lifted his jersey and pointed to the colour of his skin after footy fans hit him with racist abuse during a match against Collingwood in 1993.
The artwork was commissioned by the AFL and created by sculptor Louis Laumen, who told the West Australian that he was saddened by its removal but did not condone Winmar’s actions in any way.
The publication said former Western Australian Sports Minister Mick Murray was ‘devastated’ by its removal after playing a big role in having it added to the stadium.
‘I don’t condone violence. I am disappointed in Nicky,’ Murray said.
‘But that statue meant so much to so many people.’
The magistrate convicted Winmar of two charges of common law assault and one count of unlawful assault, finding the prosecution had proven those offences beyond reasonable doubt.
The charges related to the allegations Winmar grabbed the woman by the arm, dragged her by the hair and hit her head against a door.
Winmar was acquitted on the fourth charge of intentionally causing injury, with Mr Huynh finding the woman’s ‘substantial pain’ fell short of the sort of injury required for the charge.
