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An AFLW player has accused several members of the public of heckling and spitting at her while she was competing in the senior Western Football Netball League’s (WFNL) women’s Grand Final.
Former GWS, Melbourne and Western Bulldogs star Ashleigh Guest was playing for Yarraville Seddon Eagles in their Grand Final clash against Caroline Springs Lakers, when she claims to have suffered the abuse.
Yarraville were beaten 68-51 during the Grand Final, but Guest alleges that a group of young men taunted her during the match.
She explained to ABC Sport that she had gone to pick up the footy from behind the posts late on in the match, and believes she heard one of the individuals spit at her.
‘I jumped up straight away and was like: “Did you f***ing spit at me?”’ she explained.
Guest added: ‘They just laughed.’
Former GWS, Melbourne and Western Bulldogs star Ashleigh Guest (pictured) has alleged a group of men, who were watching her side play in a Grand Final match this weekend, of spitting at her
Guest (left) stated that she was disappointed with the action taken by her club in regards to the matter
The WFNL later confirmed to the outlet that no further action could be taken at present in relation to the incident, which was reported to both the league and to Guest’s club, as there was a lack of evidence to validate the 35-year-old’s claim.
Following their investigations, the WFNL issued a statement that read: ‘Following a timely and thorough investigation, including a detailed review of available video footage, the player is observed collecting the ball and turning toward the group.
‘However, there is no visual evidence of any individual spitting and no witnesses in the immediate vicinity — including the WFNL goal umpire — that observed the alleged act. Accordingly, the allegation could not be substantiated,’ the league said.
Yarraville stated that they would be standing by Guest.
‘[We] fully support our player and believe that the incident occurred,’ the club said.
‘We acknowledge, however, that in the world of community football, it is difficult to determine all of the facts with the tools available to us.
‘We will continue to advocate for a safe and respectful game environment and will work with the league and all member clubs to achieve this outcome.’
The Caroline Springs Lakers have also conducted their own investigation into the allegation, and stated to ABC that ‘individuals in the vicinity of the area deny that any player was spat at, or that any spitting had taken place.’
Guest is not the first former professional to have been allegedly targeted while playing in the lower leagues
Guest is not the first former professional to have been allegedly targeted while playing in the lower leagues.
The step-father of late former AFL player Adam Hunter recently revealed that the ex-Eagles star was targeted when he moved to play local footy following the conclusion of his AFL career.
Rod Brown told ABC in August: ‘The grand final he played in down here for South Bunbury, the first five minutes he was taken off the field with a gash over his eye that required about eight stitches.
'I think it's a bit of a tall poppy syndrome. You always get that one person who just wants to say: “I punched Adam Hunter”.
'But he's not out there to prove anything … He just wanted to play football.'
Former Collingwood star Jason Cloke is another ex-pro who was forced to stop playing for fun after he copped countless concussions.
Cloke had subsequently been forced to hang up his boots after he was punched in the face by an opposition player in 2024 during a match, leaving him hospitalised.
He said that people just wanted to land a king hit on him because of his profile in the game.
Guest stated that she would not be playing for the club next season following the alleged incident
Guest, meanwhile, explained she was left disgusted and also upset with how the club handled the alleged incident, explaining that she would not be returning to play for Yarraville next year.
‘The actual incident itself, I feel really degraded. I'm not even sure why someone would spit, [it's] a pretty horrific act,’ Guest said.
‘Is it because I was an opposition player, or I'm a woman, or because I'm a lesbian? For what reason would someone spit? It has made me feel really gross; it's just an awful thing to have experienced.’
‘My teammates have been nothing but supportive. And I think our president and the committee were trying to be supportive in their own way, [it] just hasn't come off,’ she added.
‘So it is sad, they've been a great club. I've been there for the last two seasons and was looking forward to playing there next year, but yeah, I can't justify [playing there and] won't support the WFNL at all.’
