- Hope played for Collingwood and North Melbourne
AFLW star Moana Hope has revealed that she was targeted with ‘vile and disgusting’ abuse during a local footy match at the weekend.
The former Collingwood and North Melbourne player retired from the league in 2019, and has been playing in the Essendon District Football League for Aberfeldie.
On Saturday, Aberfeldie were beaten in the Airport Toyota Women’s Premier Division qualifying final.
Hope claimed to have been subjected to a barrage of abuse and threats from members of the opposition team and several spectators during the match.
‘As a parent, I was concerned, and I questioned whether it was the safest place for my kids and my family,’ Hope said in an Instagram video.
‘On the field, there were a few players who were incredibly, incredibly inappropriate with the verbal abuse that they were giving me, the personal attacks.
Footy star Moana Hope (pictured) has lifted the lid on the alleged abuse she received during a local footy game last weekend
Hope (pictured right with former partner Maria Thattil) claimed she had been physically threatened by an opposition player
‘They were saying horrible things, about my personal life and about me, and the people that I love.’
The full-forward also revealed that some of the abuse she allegedly received involved ‘physical threats’.
‘It went on all day. At one point, one of them threatened me with physical violence,’ Hope said.
‘The ball was nowhere in sight, by the way, not that that would make a difference. It wouldn’t. It was just a really horrible experience, and really unwarranted, unacceptable and embarrassing.’
Hope began her AFL career playing for Collingwood back in 2017. She’d go on to make 13 appearances for the club before joining North for a season in 2019.
Known as an accomplished cricketer who represented Victoria at under-19 level, Hope also claimed that she was heckled by two men on the touchline, adding that members of her family, including her children, had been standing in the crowd and had heard the abuse directed towards her.
‘To top that off, there were two men in the crowd. One in particular stood there all day and absolutely hurled abuse at me. Anything he could say he said it and it was so f***ing loud.
‘The things that he was saying were vile and disgusting, and nothing short of just a personal attack on me, for absolutely no reason.
The 37-year-old explained she was also targeted by two men on the sidelines of the footy pitch
Hope (pictured with Thattil) played for Collingwood and North Melbourne during her pro footy career, with the full-forward retiring from the AFLW in 2019
‘I spoke to my mum after the game, and she said she felt completely and utterly uncomfortable about it,’ she added.
The Australian Survivor star also revealed that her coaches had put a complaint to the league regarding the abuse.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Essendon District League for comment.
‘I just want to say this, if you’re going to go and support a football team, support that team,’ she added.
‘Don’t abuse, don’t scream or threaten players just for no reason other than you think it’s appropriate.’
