AFL Fan Who Called Eddie Betts An “Ape” Says She’s Received Death Threats

Another season, another example of appalling fan behaviour at AFL games.

After the cheer, goodwill, and overall exemplary conduct exhibited by fans during the inaugural AFLW season, it took all of about 3 weeks for dogshit fan behaviour to erase all that good work.

The hotly contested and enthralling Adelaide Showdown between cross-town arch-rivals the Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide Power on Saturday night attracted a sell-out crowd of 50,000+ to see the Crows run out 17 point winners, keeping their unbeaten record intact.

The match was marred, however, by a spate of shocking fan behaviour, which saw multiple brawls break out in the stands, police intervention, and multiple ejections from the ground.

The bad behaviour did not end with the final siren, either. One angry Port fan took to social media, launching a racist tirade at Adelaide small forward Eddie Betts.

Maxine Spratt‘s post, in which – among other, less printable things – she labeled Betts an “ape,” attracted a wave of angry backlash from punters. The reaction was so severe, in fact, that Spratt took to 7 News Adelaide last night to complain about “death threats” being sent her way.

The, frankly unbelievable, interview, also featured her claiming that her usage of the word “ape” could never be racist owing to the fact that she herself is of Indigenous heritage. It also features her claim that she simply “hates” all Adelaide players, a fact that her nodding partner backed up by asserting “it’s not her fault” that she does hate them.

Also, she says “sorry.”

Spratt is not a Port Adelaide member, so the club is powerless to intervene in the situation.

Facebook, however, has since deleted her account.

Probably for the best, that.