Geraldton sporting clubs urged to take action after Rovers Football Club’s Anthony Kyanga’s conviction

Sporting clubs in Geraldton are being pressed to take action to address attitudes around off-field behaviour in the wake of a local football star’s recent family violence conviction. Rovers Football Club’s Anthony Kyanga has continued to play for the team after he was sentenced following an attack on his partner earlier this year, with a team representative refusing to be drawn on how teams should respond. However, Great Northern Football League operations manager Harry Taylor, believes clubs have a responsibility to the community to outline what is acceptable behaviour. The West Australian Football Commission, which governs the game across the State, currently lacks policies guiding clubs on how to respond to off-field criminal offences, but a spokesperson said a review was taking place. “The commission is in the process of reviewing its position on domestic and criminal offences to develop policy in consultation with our football integrity unit,” the spokesperson said. Last month, Kyanga was handed a year-long intensive supervision order over three assaults against his partner at their Beachlands home in January. The court was told he twice grabbed the steering wheel from his partner, narrowly missing ploughing into a power pole, and bit and punched her following an argument about home finances. Since the conviction, Kyanga has continued to play for the league team, with a club representative declining to say whether clubs should take a stand against violence, adding he was a “respected member” of the team. “Anthony and his family are respected members of our club and make a lovely family group each week... further reporting in the media may actually cause more stress and harm,” he said. But Mr Taylor firmly believes clubs need to take a stand against violence in their communities. “Footy clubs are really important social hubs for people in regional areas,” he said. “It’s important that clubs set a clear cultural framework around what’s acceptable behaviour in our community and what’s not.” Mr Taylor said the GNFL had taken steps to actively promote this message in recent years, including signing on to the WA Country Health Service’s Community Respect and Equality agreement. “As an industry body, part of what we do is help clubs work on their responsibilities to the community,” he said. “It’s a relatively new area of focus for football but it’s important we address it. “We cannot condone violent behaviour and we’re determined to be a part of the solution.” He said the league acknowledged there was work to be done within the industry body and was waiting on guidance from the commission to outline how clubs should respond to criminal offences. “Club responsibilities in this area are a delicate issue, we want to provide support and guidance to our community,” he said. “That said, it’s important to note that family violence is never OK.”