From the ABC:

Former Brisbane Lions player Leigh Ryswyk has become the first openly gay AFL player, past or present.

Ryswyk, who played one match for the Lions in 2005, made the announcement on Melbourne FM radio station Joy 94.9's GayFL program. 

During the interview, which aired on Wednesday, Ryswyk said his friends had known he was gay for five years. 

“To people who know me, my closest friends, this is not new; I’ve been out for five years now," he said.

"There will be people though, if they do listen to this, it will be the first time they know about this; I’m a very private person, so it’s not all over my social media and things like that. 

"It can be a bit of a shock to some people, they might not know what, but that’s life right? In the end, the people who are nearest and closest to me know, and that’s what's most important.”

Originally from Victoria, Ryswyk moved to Queensland when he was young and was added to the Brisbane Lions squad for the 2005 season. 

He achieved one match in his AFL career, a 39-point win for the Lions in round 11 against Fremantle at Subiaco Oval in Perth.

After being delisted from the Lions at the end of the 2005 season, Ryswyk moved to South Australia where he played more than 200 matches for North Adelaide in the SANFL.

Ryswyk's announcement follows former West Coast Eagles player Mitch Brown, who last year became the first openly bisexual man to have played in the AFL.

it will be interesting to see if, and when, the first male player who is on a current list comes out

plenty in the aflw of course

He also played for my other team North Adelaide in the SANFL. I hope life is treating him well.

A quietly courageous thing to do at this moment when hate crimes are skyrocketing.

Hopefully gives a little glimmer of light for some footy-mad 12 year old just beginning to realise he is that which he has been taught it is appropriate to hate.

Who cares.

13 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Who cares.

im sure the gay players currently playing care alot. takes alot of courage to do this

not as simple as “who cares” when he will now get hate on social media for simply coming out as gay

Didn't Jason Ball come out over a decade ago?

Good on him. Hope he is treated with respect and decency like all people deserve (unfortunately online this won't be the case.)

Who damm well cares the media is obsessed with this issue it's nobody's business but theirs next it will who's bisexual in the AFL.

20 minutes ago, Ollie fan said:

Didn't Jason Ball come out over a decade ago?

Never played AFL. Was playing local footy in Melbourne at the time.

45 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Who cares.

You, evidently.

58 minutes ago, harveylangfordisthegoat said:

im sure the gay players currently playing care alot. takes alot of courage to do this

not as simple as “who cares” when he will now get hate on social media for simply coming out as gay

It’s unbelievable these days though that people concern themselves with what sexual orientation another person is. Does it matter?

1 hour ago, harveylangfordisthegoat said:

im sure the gay players currently playing care alot. takes alot of courage to do this

not as simple as “who cares” when he will now get hate on social media for simply coming out as gay

Assuming there are gay players currently playing.

7 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

It’s unbelievable these days though that people concern themselves with what sexual orientation another person is. Does it matter?

Sadly it currently does matter ET. Statistically 3-6% of the population is gay. So given there 800 AFL listed players you can safely assume, on the very conservative end, that’s 25 players currently in the system. If nobody comes out, nobody feels it’s safe too.

Essentially, if you can see it, you can be it.

Like different religious beliefs I don’t care who you believe in or who you think you are or identify as or whatever. Good on you. I hope life is good for you. (But please don’t try and convert me!)

I judge people by what they say and do, not by what colour their skin is, what they say they are and who they believe in.

As a general rule if you are a ‘minority’ I feel for you. It must get really tough for you at times.

It bemuses me how some mainstream folk get so worked up about and fear and even sometimes hate anyone that is not 100% like themselves. Live and let live.

44 minutes ago, VoiceOfReason said:

Assuming there are gay players currently playing.

They are confirmed. Some comedian did a skit about it a while back and the players know amongst themselves I believe. While all credit goes to Leigh for being incredibly brave, he is still a bit of a no name and its not sending shock waves when probably 99% percent of people wouldn't know him. But in a way that makes in even more brave. He is building his ownpath and I wish him all the best and I hope any future players that come out are supported unconditionaly

It shouldn’t be a big deal, a player coming out as being gay, but it is because the media, footballing industry and even society build it up as such.

It’s quite sad that it will need to take someone very brave to announce they are gay whilst their AFL career is still going.

Good on that boy!

Just now, Demon Disciple said:

It shouldn’t be a big deal, a player coming out as being gay, but it is because the media, footballing industry and even society build it up as such.

It’s quite sad that it will need to take someone very brave to announce they are gay whilst their AFL career is still going.

Here here!

Anyone spoken to Jason Akermanis about this?

Being allowed to be yourself and not hide anything is the minimum right for any person

How anyone is offended or annoyed by this is quite sad.

7 hours ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

It’s unbelievable these days though that people concern themselves with what sexual orientation another person is. Does it matter?

I know you think this is the enlightened approach to inclusion. I know you think that one’s ‘concern’ was the problem in the first place with sex, race, gender, orientation, etc.

But that assumes a vacuum that has never existed, and denies any context to the struggles of the past - and that’s why it matters.

In posters attempts to out-woke each other and prove that they’re the sites No. 1 most perpetually offended person, you’ve misunderstood the point of my message. So, I’ll explain and I’ll dumb it down as much as humanly possible; he’s gay and it’s 2026, very surprised that in 2026 people care and report on what someone else’s sexual preference is.

Edited 17 hours ago17 hr by Ethan Tremblay

12 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

In posters attempts to out-woke each other and prove that they’re the sites No. 1 most perpetually offended person, you’ve misunderstood the point of my message. So, I’ll explain and I’ll dumb it down as much as humanly possible; he’s gay and it’s 2026, very surprised that in 2026 people care and report on what someone else’s sexual preference is.

12 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

In posters attempts to out-woke each other and prove that they’re the sites No. 1 most perpetually offended person, you’ve misunderstood the point of my message. So, I’ll explain and I’ll dumb it down as much as humanly possible; he’s gay and it’s 2026, very surprised that in 2026 people care and report on what someone else’s sexual preference is.

I don’t want to take you to task here Ethan (and I am not), and I really love your view. It should not matter. But, it is so much more than a sexual identity. The sexual side is kind of a moot point.

The AFL is a hyper masculine patriarchal community (although shifting). The courage of an ex AFL player to stand up and come out, is to be celebrated. This is a social issue.

Some seem to want to talk against this issue (not you). But hey, I look forward to the day it is not an issue.

Having said this, I appreciate your values.

1 hour ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

In posters attempts to out-woke each other and prove that they’re the sites No. 1 most perpetually offended person, you’ve misunderstood the point of my message. So, I’ll explain and I’ll dumb it down as much as humanly possible; he’s gay and it’s 2026, very surprised that in 2026 people care and report on what someone else’s sexual preference is.

I kind of think this is the point, though not yours.
Announcing that you're gay and played AFL football should not be of concern or interest to anyone. So why is it? Why don't we know about other AFL players being gay? Given that statistically they'll be amongst the 660 AFL listed players, obviously those who are gay aren't currently comfortable in announcing it (eg at a Brownlow function).

That is why we should applaud past players who announce their sexuality so that one day, in the future, AFL players won't care and no-one will be "very surprised that in [2026] people care and report on what someone else’s sexual preference is". When they're not surprised, society has moved on.