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Eddie McGuire and Craig McRae have criticized Adelaide fans after some sections of the crowd at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday night seemed to boo Collingwood player Isaac Quaynor.
The Magpies secured a 79-55 victory over the Crows in the City of Churches, avenging their narrow three-point defeat by Adelaide in August.
But some members of the crowd disgracefully booed Quaynor, every time he touched the footy.
Quaynor managed to gather 16 disposals during the game, earning praise from his coach, McRae, for his strong performance. Nevertheless, the Collingwood coach expressed disappointment over the booing incident.
Craig McRae (pictured) claimed he was ‘disappointed’ to hear Crows fans booing Isaac Quaynor during Thursday’s game
Adelaide fans have been blasted by many others online too for booing Quaynor (pictured)
Izak Rankine (top right) was spotted inside the Crows dressing room after his side had suffered defeat
‘It is disappointing. Not just to Isaac (Quaynor), but there’s always stories behind these things. I’m just not a boo-er,’ McRae said.
“I find that really disappointing. When I first heard it, I thought, ‘gee, that’s disappointing.’ He must have touched the footy a lot because he had a lot of the ball. I’m really proud of him and Dan (Houston) and others,” McRae remarked.
‘I’m not sure why they booed, you’d have to ask the supporters in the crowd.’
Former Collingwood president McGuire shot a dig at the Crows fans after the match, noting that Quaynor had a lot of the ball in his hands.
“(Adelaide fans) were upset over different things and even booed every time Quaynor got the ball. I bet they were hoarse by the end of the night,” he told 3AW.
The 25-year-old halfback has now also broken his silence on the matter, stating that he ‘did hear a little bit of it’
But it appeared that the noise from the fans didn’t get to him.
‘To be honest, I get so locked in during games, I don’t pay much mind to anything else,’ Quaynor added.
Rankine (pictured) received a four-game suspension from the AFL after he directed a homophobic slur at Quaynor during the clash between the Crows and Collingwood in August.
Eddie McGuire (left) also slammed the Crows fans for their decision to boo Quaynor
Every time Quaynor (pictured) got a touch on the football, boos were heard ringing out around the ground
Taking a mark from a defensive clearance just inside the Magpies forward 50 and wound up for a shot at goal. But as soon as he took the catch, some fans again started to boo the 25-year-old.
Quaynor produced an excellent kick, drawing the ball from right to left, but couldn’t quite get the distance, with a Crows hand batting the ball out for a behind.
But the shocking act drew criticism from many around the footballing world.
‘I cannot believe this is happening,’ Channel 7 commentator Brian Taylor said. ‘He’s done nothing wrong.’
Triple M’s Kate McCarthy added: ‘Booing someone for calling out homophobia is truly something, isn’t it.’
One person explained on X before the match that she was hoping Adelaide seald victory tonight. But after hearing the boos, she quickly changed her answer.
‘I might have to take this back after tonight’s appalling booing of Isaac Quaynor. No excuses,’ she wrote.
‘Crows fans booing Isaac Quaynor for calling out homophobia is actually evil behaviour. Self-reflect,’ another wrote.
Commentators and fans took to social media to blast the fans for booing the Collingwood halfback
‘Adelaide crowd booing Isaac Quaynor for being on the receiving end of a homophobic slur are just vile. Every one of them ought to be kicked out of the ground. Adelaide and AFL CEOs must fix this disgusting culture and behaviour,’ another wrote.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Adelaide Football Club in relation to the boos.
Adelaide boss Matthew Nicks refused to comment on the boos of the crowd after the match.
Immediately after his suspension was handed down, Rankine had spoken of his ‘regret’ at using the word.
He later travelled abroad to Italy to participate in a warm-weather training camp and returned on Tuesday.
Upon his arrival in Adelaide, he spoke to members of the media at the airport, where he issued an apology.
Nicks had also confirmed that Rankine had been in the Adelaide Oval for the match.
It came as footy reporter Jon Ralph had claimed that Rankine had also ‘apologised to the Crows’ AFLW players’ on Thursday and would continue to train with the team.
Rankine was ultimately handed a four-match ban and still has a chance of playing in finals this year if the Crows reach the Grand Final
On Tuesday, Rankine told reporters: ‘I want to start by saying how deeply sorry I am for what I said,’ Rankine said.
‘There was no excuse, it was wrong and I take full responsibility. I’m disappointed in myself and I know I’ve let a lot of people down.
‘I want to apologise to anybody that I’ve hurt or offended. I understand that word is offensive, it’s harmful, it’s hurtful and it has no place in our game or our society.’
Rankine is the sixth AFL player in 16 months to be handed a ban for making a homophobic slur.
The recent rise in suspensions relating to homophobia has caused some commentators to scrutinise whether the AFL is doing enough to foster an inclusive environment.
The league has a zero-tolerance stance on homophobia, with AFL CEO Andrew Dillon writing in the AFL’s 2025 LGBTQIA+ Action Plan: ‘I want to be clear: there is absolutely no place for homophobia, biphobia, or transphobia – or any form of discrimination for that matter – in our game, workplace, or society.’
After Rankine’s ban was confirmed, former West Coast player Mitch Brown also made history by becoming the first-ever player to come out as bisexual.
However, Brown issued a plea to the AFL to do more to foster an inclusive environment for all people.
‘This is also a call to action,’ Brown said in a message published on his Instagram, in which he also thanked his followers for their support. ‘It’s time for the AFL and the clubs to commit to genuine change, embedding inclusion not just in words, but in culture, policies and everyday actions.
Rankine has apologised for the comments and travelled to Italy to complete a warm-weather training camp after learning of the suspension
Mitch Brown (pictured) has become the first AFL/VFL player in the almost 130-year history of the league to come out as bisexual
It comes as Andrew Dillon and the AFL have copped criticism for the increase in suspensions relating to homophobic slurs around the league
‘If we can make our game a better place where everyone belongs, the ripple effect on Australian society will be profound.
‘I look forward to joining the movement that started long before me to create a safer, more inclusive sport and society for everyone.’
It also comes as a behavioural scientist at Monash University, Dr Erik Denison, has claimed that homophobia exists ‘at every corner of the AFL’.
He explained to ABC Sport that the footy league has deeply embedded issues surrounding homophobia.
‘I don’t think it’s time for the AFL community to be congratulating itself, sort of saying ‘job done, here look at us, we finally have an openly gay bisexual player’,’ he told ABC Sport.
‘This is time for the AFL community to really look in the mirror, listen to what Mitch Brown is saying, and do something about the problems that he’s describing.
‘This is an opportunity for the AFL to drive long-overdue change to culture and behaviour at all levels of the game.’
