Crows condemn 'disgusting' abuse aimed at Dawson and Ah Chee

Adelaide captain Jordan Dawson was sent an abusive message referencing self-harm hours after the Crows' semi-final defeat to Brisbane. The Crows described the trolling of their captain as disgusting and disturbing.

He shared a picture of the message on his Instagram account and personally condemned the sender. The club backed him in strong terms and said support would be provided.

The message arrived on Instagram in the hours after the knockout final, AdelaideNow reported. In the AFL, a semi-final is part of the September finals series. Win and you stay alive. Lose and your season ends, which is what happened to Adelaide against Brisbane.

Dawson chose to make the abuse public by posting the screenshot himself, according to ABC News. He did not leave it to the club to speak for him. He also hit back at the troll directly.

Crows chief executive Tim Silvers said the club will report the incident to SA Police. He said the club will also refer it to the AFL's integrity unit, the part of the league that handles off-field misconduct and vilification complaints. The club said it will provide Dawson with appropriate support.

The language from the club was blunt. Silvers called the messages disgusting and disturbing. Adelaide said the matter would be reported rather than left to pass.

Teammate Callum Ah Chee was also targeted after the loss. The abuse sent to Ah Chee is understood to be racist in nature. The Crows said that matter will be raised with the league.

Silvers said Ah Chee will also receive appropriate support. The club is therefore handling two cases at once. One goes to police and the integrity unit. The other goes to the league.

Dawson is one of the league's senior leaders. He was named vice-captain of the 2026 All-Australian team, the honorary team that recognises the best players across the 18 clubs from the home-and-away season. The selection reflects his standing among players, coaches and umpires across the competition.

For fans catching up, the football part is straightforward. Adelaide lost a final. The season stopped. What followed online had nothing to do with performance, tactics or selection.

Clubs have become more willing to publish abusive messages and name the impact on players. Adelaide has taken that approach here. The next steps sit with SA Police and the AFL.