Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Leigh Ryswyk, the original Brisbane Lion and SANFL champion, became the first man AFL player to have either a past or present openly queer streak.
Ryswyk made his Lions comeback against Melbourne in 2005, but he was delisted at the end of the period after suffering a triple strain. He afterwards joined the SANFL and won a wonderful career there, where he played 226 activities for North Adelaide. He was afterwards inducted into the Queensland Football Hall of Fame.
Ryswyk, who was born in Victoria, revealed his sexual orientation during a conversation with GayFL on the LGBTQI journalist JOY 94.9 on Wednesday.
The 41-year-old told the place,” To people who know me, my closest associates, this is not new.
” I’ve been away for five years. However, there will be people who will be aware that this will be their first time hearing about it because I am a very personal person, so it won’t be all over my social media or other similar media, which is good.
His decision comes in response to previous West Coast player Mitch Brown’s declaration that he was lesbian in late 2025, making him the first league player to publicly identify as gay.
” Some people may experience a little shock; they may not know, but that’s career, right”? Yswyk remarked.
JOY questioned him about what the AFL could do to help other people who may emerge in the future.
” I believe the AFL, and the community, will cover their hands around that person,” said Ryswyk.
” I think the community itself, of course, the gay group, the fan base, and I believe that when the time comes, they will enjoy that,” he said.
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Rob Sharp is a via X or internet The AgeConnect’s online writer.
