'Death threats': GWS star abused online over free-kick controversy
Greater Western Sydney veteran Callan Ward has revealed he received death threats from fans angry at the controversial free kick he received on Friday night.
Ward kicked the sealing goal in the Giants' four-point win over Essendon after being awarded a contentious free kick for head-high contact in a ground-ball contest with Shaun McKernan. But opinion is divided as to whether Ward had staged for the free with his response to the contact.
Ward has been targeted on social media by trolls who abused him on an Instagram post featuring his six-month old son, saying they hoped he injured his knee again. An inaugural Giant, Ward missed the club's first grand final appearance last year after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament early in the season.
Sources at the club have also said Ward was targeted on his personal email. The messages have since been deleted from Instagram.
Ward made the startling claim about the death threats in an interview on 3AW after former Essendon great Matthew Lloyd threw his support behind the veteran over the social media abuse.
Callan Ward of the Giants is congratulated by teammates after kicking the goal that sealed the match. Credit:Getty Images
"The reason I brought that up, I know it's a reality and social media I won't listen to all of it but I know there are people out there who probably would," Ward said.
"It's just got to stop. If you're getting death threats like I've been getting, there's some players couldn't handle that. I agree with what you said Lloydy."
The Sydney-based Ward, who is due to fly to Perth on Saturday after spending the past week and a half in Brisbane, said he was finding it difficult being away from his family.
"It's been tough. I have a six-month-old and my wife, who I miss quite a bit, and they can't come up to Perth either," Ward said.
"It will be quite some time before I see them. With what's happened last night the most disappointing thing is I have a lot of Esendon supporters, a lot of AFL supporters commenting on photos of Romeo, my baby, and saying I'm a flog, all this stuff. I'm copping a bit, which is disappointing.
"I'm in a situation where as an AFL player we're trying to get the game going and trying to play AFL football but at the same time we're away from our families and it's tough for us as well, so it's disappointing to see that people feel the need to express their passion and hatred towards me at the moment."
More to come