Length of Izak Rankine's suspension revealed as Rory Sloane and AFL world responds
On Wednesday he will become the sixth AFL-listed player suspended for making an alleged homophobic remark since April last year. The AFL hasn't given any official word on the length of the suspension, but McGuire revealed his mail on 'Footy Classified' on Tuesday night.
"Tonight I can tell you Izak Rankine's season is over," said former Collingwood president McGuire. "My understanding is he will be suspended for five weeks.
"The Adelaide Football Club and Izak Rankine will have the opportunity to appeal the sanction and try and get it reduced because they could argue that it is manifestly unjust. They'll have the next 24 hours, or 12 hours at least, to decide whether or not they mount an appeal."
Rory Sloane responds to news about Izak Rankine
The Crows have one game left in the regular season, before a maximum of four finals games should they go all the way and win the premiership. It means a five-game ban would rub Rankine out for the remainder of the season.
Adelaide great Rory Sloane said in response to McGuire's revelation: "That's a devastating result for the footy club, it's probably not surprising though. I think the general feel from the club since they found out was this was always going to be the case.
"The only choice you have in these situations is to accept it and move on. And that's what they'll do. Squads win finals, Bob Murphy missed (finals) for the Bulldogs, Andrew Gaff missed for West Coast, a couple of big games, they still went on to win flags and the whole mentality of that footy club is squads win finals."
AFL's previous bans for homophobic slurs
The Crows have been bracing for a ban of between three and five games. The club had lobbied for a three-match ban, which would offer Rankine a glimmer of hope of playing later in the final series when the club returns to the playoffs for the first time since 2017. But even a three-game ban could wipe Rankine out for the rest of the year depending on how the Crows' finals campaign plays out.
Last month, West Coast player Jack Graham was banned for four games for making a homophobic remark towards a GWS player. Last year, Port Adelaide's Jeremy Finlayson was banned for three games, and Wil Powell of the Gold Coast was suspended for five matches - both for directing homophobic slurs at opponents.
Two VFL players have also recently been banned for homophobic slurs, while Sydney defender Riak Andrew was was suspended for five matches last month for an anti-gay slur while playing for the Swans' reserves team against North Melbourne. And in July last year, St Kilda player Lance Collard was banned six games for homophobic comments while playing in the VFL for Sandringham against Williamstown.
Former Adelaide Crows coach speaks out
"You feel for the community, we're supposed to be standing up for these things," former Crows caretaker coach Scott Camporeale told Adelaide radio station 5AA. "They are well-educated, these players ... they're the best-educated group in the country around race, gender, all those things. And we continually keep having to go through these scenarios.
"(Coach) Matthew Nicks would be pretty disappointed as a senior coach. He is a September player, Izak Rankine ... he's the No.1 score involvement player for the Crows.
"Can they still win it? I think they can, it's never just one player. But he has got to be around the club, he has got to be supporting the group ... he needs to be there front and centre and support his teammates. Most of them would be pretty disappointed because they know how integral he is to the team."
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On Tuesday, Adelaide veteran Taylor Walker said Rankine is 'very remorseful' and has shut himself inside at home. "He understands that he's made a mistake and he'll accept whatever comes his way,' Walker told Triple M Breakfast.
'He hasn't been outside and he had a full day of investigation with the AFL yesterday. I know that our footy club is a very positive and supportive environment and we will support 'Ranks', however we don't agree with what happened.'
with AAP
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