Darcy Moore’s partner Dee Salmin to boycott Brownlow Medal over Swans scandal
Dee Salmin, the partner of Collingwood captain Darcy Moore, said on Sunday she will boycott next month’s Brownlow Medal ceremony in response to criticism of the way the sector handled an alleged sexual assault at a Melbourne hotel involving the Sydney Swans.
Salmin, a writer and podcast host, explained her decision in a newsletter post and framed it as a matter of personal principle. “I’ve spent the past few weeks thinking about the important conversations we’re having about women and the culture surrounding AFL, and I’ve realised I can’t keep encouraging other people to interrogate the systems they participate in, without being willing to interrogate them myself,” she wrote. “I haven’t made this decision thinking my absence will be noticed, or a big deal, but as someone who believes in leading with your values, I just don’t feel comfortable being at an event that doesn’t align with mine.”
After appearing at the 2024 Brownlows, Salmin was labelled on social media as “a gonad stealing feminist witch,” a phrase she subsequently adopted on her own profile. She stressed that her stance does not single out individuals she respects inside the sport, saying: “Of course, there are people within the sport who I love and respect (my partner being one of them), but that doesn’t mean the entire culture is above criticism.” She added: “I think when it comes to the AFL’s attitude towards women and gender-based violence, there needs to be some serious change.”
The developments follow action by the Sydney Swans earlier this month in which five players were banned by the club for the rest of the season for breaching club standards, including drinking and bringing women back to their hotel room. Victoria police are separately continuing to investigate an alleged sexual assault at the Melbourne hotel where the Swans were staying. No one has been arrested or charged and the five players have reportedly denied any criminal wrongdoing.
Salmin said she had enjoyed aspects of the Brownlow evening in past years and cited the red carpet as a creative outlet. “The Brownlow red carpet has become one of the occasions in my life where I get to properly play with fashion, talk about some of my favourite artists, designers and the art of upcycling,” she wrote.
Moore captained the Magpies to the 2023 premiership and is the son of a former Collingwood captain; he has been named All-Australian twice and currently serves as president of the AFL Players’ Association, having succeeded Patrick Dangerfield last year. Moore and Salmin appeared together in a social media video last year for Teach Us Consent, the respectful relationships organisation founded by Chanel Contos, in which he discussed pressures on men in certain male spaces. “It is as a result of this culture of, like, blokes feel these pressures to act in certain ways,” he said. “It’s not serving guys. It’s clearly harming women, profoundly. So it’s pretty obvious to see those harms when you step back and think about it.”
Her newsletter stated she will not attend the Brownlow Medal ceremony next month.