AFL Tribunal Hands Lance Collard Lengthy Seven-Game Ban Over Homophobic Slur

St Kilda forward Lance Collard has been suspended for seven matches after an AFL tribunal found he used a homophobic slur during a Victorian Football League (VFL) game.

The 21-year-old has been handed a nine-match ban, with two weeks suspended until the end of the season, following the tribunal’s decision on Tuesday. The sanction comes in addition to a separate two-match suspension for rough conduct arising from the same match.

The tribunal upheld a charge of “conduct unbecoming” after determining Collard called a player a “f**king f*gg*t” during a march match against Frankston.

Collard insisted he had actually said, “Come here, maggot”, to Frankston player Darby Hipwell, but Hipwell contested this:

“He had his head up against my ear and he said the words to me, ‘Darby, you ‘fucking faggot’,” Hipwell said in his evidence at the tribunal.

In its submission, the AFL sought a suspension of up to 10 matches, citing Collard’s prior six-game ban in 2024 for using similar language.

Tribunal chair Jeff Gleeson said the sanction reflected both the seriousness of the incident and Collard’s disciplinary history, saying “homophobic slurs [are] entirely unacceptable”. According to reports, the tribunal also considered Collard’s response during proceedings, including a lack of remorse, in determining the length of the ban.

Collard’s legal representatives argued for a reduced penalty, pointing to his personal circumstances, such as his troubled upbringing and the lack of a positive male role model during his formative years, requesting that any suspension be served concurrently with his existing ban. That application was unsuccessful, with the tribunal ruling the suspensions must be served consecutively.

The case marks the first time an AFL player has contested a “conduct unbecoming” charge relating to homophobic language at a full tribunal hearing.

It also follows a series of recent incidents involving homophobic language across the league, with multiple players sanctioned in recent seasons under AFL rules prohibiting vilification.

St Kilda has indicated it will consider its options following the decision.