The Millewa Centenary Day, held on June 7 at Lake Cullulleraine, attracted hundreds from the region. However, the women’s football team from the Werrimull Football Netball Club was largely absent, choosing not to participate.
Werrimull player Jemma Jo Johnson, who uses they/them pronouns, said the protest was in response to the club’s decision not to stand down a male player currently under investigation by AFL Victoria following an allegation of sexual assault.
Johnson said eight women had quit the team over the club’s response.
“Our safe space has been completely taken away from us,” they said.
“This was a chance for the club to protect us, to care for us, and to show the rest of the league that safety and accountability matter — but they didn’t.”
The ABC understands that the allegation was reported to both the club and AFL Victoria, but not to police.
Werrimull FNC president Dale Ramsey confirmed an investigation by AFL Victoria is underway. In a statement, the club expressed concern over the allegations.
“We are deeply troubled and saddened by these recent reports,” the statement said.
“We are committed to ensuring a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment on and off the field for everyone involved in our club.”
Absence of clear policies
The incident has brought to light a lack of formal procedures for handling such allegations, according to Dr Catherine Ordway, a sports integrity and ethics expert from the University of Canberra.
She said clubs should be proactive in creating clear guidelines before a crisis arises.
“Clubs should have these discussions when things are calm,” Dr Ordway said.
“If they genuinely care about safety for women and youth, they need to set policies that guide their response if such issues occur.”
Dr Ordway acknowledged that uniform rules can be hard to apply across every situation.
“There will always be exceptional cases where a blanket policy might not be fair, especially depending on the people involved,” she said.
The ABC understands that Werrimull FNC currently has no formal policies regarding how to respond when players are under active investigation by either the AFL integrity unit or police.
Club division and broader implications
Johnson said the club had lost valued members because of how it dealt with the situation.
“We’ve lost some really important people who were loved and respected,” they said.
“The most painful part is seeing one individual prioritised over a whole team that’s poured time, effort, and heart into this club.”
Johnson believes this reflects a wider issue in the league.
“It’s not just our club — this is something affecting the entire league.”
MFNL chairperson Emily Harlock-Knights issued a statement to all clubs in the region, clearly denouncing abusive or inappropriate behaviour.
“The MFNL condemns any conduct that is abusive, disrespectful, or inappropriate — on or off the field,” she said.
However, Harlock-Knights noted that clubs and the league are not equipped to investigate serious allegations themselves.
“It’s not our role — nor that of our clubs — to act as judge, jury, or executioner,” she said.
“We urge anyone who experiences or witnesses such behaviour to report it to Victoria Police or the appropriate authorities who are qualified to handle these matters fairly and legally.”
