AFL Players’ Association slams online trolls who abuse players for lost bets, labelling them ‘cowards’

AFL players are united in their condemnation of online trolls hurling threats for losing footy bets, with Western Bulldogs forward Josh Bruce exposing the level of abuse they are subjected to each week. Amid the increasing popularity of “same-game multis”, AFL players are being subjected to another wave of abuse over lost gambling bets which the AFL Players’ Association has labelled “disgraceful” and “incomprehensible”. Western Bulldogs forward Josh Bruce tweeted over the weekend that he received “30+ minimum abusive messages a week, mainly around gambling”. “Unfortunately the majority of players experience this on a weekly occurrence,” AFLPA president Dangerfield said. “It’s not always reported, but whether they see one message or a couple, it does get to you as a player. We’ve got to remember players are people. They have feelings just like anyone else and these gutless keyboard warriors shoot off late at night after being on the punt or on the piss or whatever it might be. “It’s just unacceptable. If you’re not willing to say it to someone’s face then what gives you the right to abuse, death threat, whatever it might be to people that you don’t even know. It’s hugely concerning and something that’s been going on for a while.” Dangerfield said while players were educated about social media use, some still struggled with the abuse. “It does ask the question as to why you get involved in it, that’s for sure,” he said on SEN radio. “We just ask that people out there remember that these people that you idolize are going to have a poor game every now and then. They’re not interested in the gambling that you do at home.” Brisbane Lions star Mitch Robinson on Monday angrily tweeted a “public announcement”, calling for those who can’t handle losing a $5 bet not to gamble at all. “Not one AFL player gives a flying f--- how we cost you a $100 multi, it’s (a) $5 bet you idiot,” Robinson tweeted. “If you’re struggling with that amount please don’t punt in the first place. Death threats & ‘hope you do your ACL next game’ I dare say we won’t pay you out either.” West Coast ruckman Nic Naitanui responded to Robinson, “Haha, every damn week”. AFLPA chief executive Paul Marsh told News Corp gambling was a factor in some of the abuse directed at players by online “cowards”. “There are a whole lot of reasons for abuse being thrown at AFL players and gambling’s one of those, but there have also been other issues,” Marsh said. “These are things people wouldn’t get away with if they were hurling abuse on the street. Social media, because of the anonymity of it, allows some form of protection. But it doesn’t make the behaviour any less disgraceful. The players are out there putting on a show for us all and they deserve better.” Greater Western Sydney midfielder Callan Ward shone a light on the issue of online abuse on the weekend, revealing he received death threats after receiving a controversial free kick against Essendon last Friday night. Melbourne forward Jake Melksham also lashed out at a disgruntled punter who sent him a private message last week, responding he “couldn’t give two f … s” with a middle-finger emoji. Marsh said the AFLPA would continue calling out all forms of abuse and referred matters to the AFL for action where possible. “We have been calling it out and we have been reporting this type of abuse to the AFL’s integrity department,” Marsh said. “Where you can identify the person posting, I think there’s action that can be taken. But where it’s challenging is if you can’t identify them and that’s unfortunately what we’re seeing with a lot of these people. “It would be nice for it to stop and it would be nice if we were able to moderate these platforms a bit more and the social media companies pulled this stuff down when they saw it. But this is an ongoing battle that we’re all facing.” The AFL announced in February that it had agreed to a new five-year deal with corporate bookmaker BetEasy as the code’s “Official Wagering Partner”. BetEasy’s parent company has since merged with the company that owns Sportsbet. The deal was sold as “involving an expanded focus on responsible wagering outcomes”. AFL players are not the only athletes to cop it from punters, with Aussie tennis battlers also regularly feeling the wrath of gamblers unhappy with their performances. MORE AFL: