'Weak, pathetic cowards': Fremantle Dockers lead AFL clubs in fight against racism

You can sit here trying to find new ways to tell this tale.

Do you start with something like teams from Fremantle and Gold Coast meeting at a suburban oval in Norwood, trying to scrap their way off the bottom half of the ladder before most people have even clocked off work, in a game that means more than that?

Do you mention Michael Walters' "M" celebration in a nod to his hometown? Adam Goodes, or the narrative which frames an Aboriginal player's skill as black magic, and not the result of hours of training and application?

Maybe you just say enough is enough. Because I'm sure that's how it feels for Walters and his Fremantle teammate Nathan Wilson.

The AFL's integrity unit is probing cases of racist slurs directed at the Dockers duo, Brisbane's Charlie Cameron and Adelaide's Izak Rankine. All four have been targeted online this week.

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The supremely gifted polarise opinion like few others can, and social media gives purveyors of vitriol a cloak of invisibility and no fear of repercussions. These people, Fremantle chief executive Simon Garlick says, are "pathetic".

"People who think it's okay to cowardly sit behind an anonymous social media account and take part in this sort of activity is just unacceptable," Garlick said.

"The impact on the players specifically targeted is profound. For the cowards and weak-minded individuals who think it's okay to do this, we've just had enough.

"We'll look at two main elements in terms of working with AFL Integrity so we can try and identify these weak, pathetic cowards who think it's okay to behave in this manner. At the same time, we throw our arms around our players, their families, and make sure they're as supported as possible."

Expose racism and start a conversation. Some think this archaic behaviour is acceptable. Enough is enough.

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