Dons star's powerful response to racist trolls

Essendon guardant Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti has issued a almighty connection aft helium became the latest AFL prima to beryllium subjected to racism from a instrumentality connected societal media.

Despite not playing successful his side's 49-point elimination last nonaccomplishment to the Western Bulldogs connected Sunday, McDonald-Tipungwuti was bizarrely singled retired successful a remark from a instrumentality connected 1 of Essendon's Facebook posts pursuing the match.

After the nine condemned the fan's station successful a connection connected Monday, McDonald-Tipungwuti issued his ain effect connected his idiosyncratic Instagram account.

"As a nine we should ne'er specify anyone by the colour of their skin, religion, race, civilization oregon ability," his station read.

McDonald-Tipungwuti has been a large portion of Essendon's resurgence up the ladder this twelvemonth (Getty)

"In Australia we are 1 radical and a divers assemblage that should beryllium galvanising unneurotic alternatively of ripping each different apart.

"My household and I similar galore others are separated by region and Covid restrictions which has made this twelvemonth precise hard for all. We each consciousness isolated and we should beryllium utilizing our words to unite america successful the look of adversity."

The nine has identified that portion the instrumentality is simply a protagonist of Essendon, helium is not presently a registered subordinate of the shot club.

McDonald-Tipungwuti has been an integral portion of Essendon's line-up since making his debut backmost successful 2016, but missed the last period of the play owed to idiosyncratic reasons.

Essendon's promising 2021 play was brought to a screeching halt by the Bulldogs connected Sunday day (Getty)

Essendon condemned the fan's societal media successful a almighty connection punctuated by the words "it has to stop".

"The nine has attempted to interaction the idiosyncratic connected respective occasions connected Monday greeting and the idiosyncratic has ignored our attempts to sermon the matter," the Bombers said successful a statement.

"Vilification, radical oregon otherwise, has perfectly nary spot successful our society. This indispensable halt now, and it starts with each of america successful calling retired this vile behaviour.

"The Essendon Football Club stands successful full solidarity with McDonald-Tipungwuti and volition proceed its combat against racism."

Cody Weightman was the Bulldogs' starring goal-kicker successful the team's elimination last triumph implicit Essendon (Getty)

Essendon besides condemned maltreatment aimed astatine Bulldogs youngster Cody Weightman, who incited the ire of Bombers fans by kicking 4 goals, each from escaped kicks, successful Sunday's final.

"The nine condemns immoderate maltreatment directed toward absorption players successful airy of the effect pursuing Sunday's lucifer oregon astatine immoderate time," the connection said.

"It is hurtful, unnecessary, and not successful the tone of our large game."

Weightman was 1 of the Bulldogs' champion performers successful the lucifer that allowed Luke Beveridge's broadside to publication a spot successful this weekend's semi-final against the Brisbane Lions.

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