Former Brisbane Lions Player Ryswyk Becomes First AFL Male to Come Out Publicly

Former Brisbane Lions player Leigh Ryswyk has made history by becoming the first past or present male AFL player to publicly come out as gay, sharing his personal journey during an appearance on Melbourne's Joy 94.9 radio station.

The 41-year-old, who played one AFL match for Brisbane in 2005 before becoming a SANFL champion with North Adelaide, revealed that his closest friends have known about his sexuality for five years, but chose this moment to make his story public.

"To people who know me, my closest friends, this is not new," Ryswyk explained during his interview on the GayFL radio program. "I've been out for five years now. There will be people though, if they do listen to this, it will be the first time they know about this."

Ryswyk's decision to go public reflects his naturally private personality, noting that his sexuality isn't prominently featured on social media or in his public persona. "I'm a very private person, so it's not all over my social media and things like that, and that's fine," he said.

The former player acknowledged that his announcement might surprise some people, but emphasized the importance of those closest to him already knowing and supporting him. "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."

AFL Chief Executive Andrew Dillon praised Ryswyk's courage in sharing his story publicly, emphasizing the league's commitment to creating inclusive environments for all participants. "For Leigh to be able to be comfortable sharing his story last night was great," Dillon stated. "What we want to have is an environment within our AFL clubs, our AFL industry where people can be their best, be themselves."

The response from Brisbane Lions has been overwhelmingly supportive, with CEO Sam Graham highlighting the club's commitment to inclusivity across all levels of the organization. "It is great to see Leigh share his story and journey publicly," Graham said. "We want our game to be an inclusive environment for everyone including players, staff, members and fans."

Ryswyk's announcement follows Mitch Brown, who last year became the AFL's first openly bisexual player, past or present. This progression demonstrates the gradual but meaningful shift toward greater LGBTQI+ representation in Australian professional sport.

Pride Cup Chief Executive Hayley Conway emphasized the significance of Ryswyk's announcement for both the game and the broader LGBTQI+ community. "It's a huge moment for the game as well as for the LGBTQI community," Conway explained. "But it's especially important for all those people and players who haven't been able to see themselves in the game."

Conway noted that each public coming-out story in professional sports creates positive momentum for others considering similar decisions. "Mitch's coming out showed how the world could respond to any man coming out in sport, and every time something like this happens the way the community, the AFL and clubs respond sets a new standard."

Despite progress in acceptance and support, Conway acknowledged ongoing challenges, particularly regarding public commentary and social media responses. "We know there is still work to be done, not just around on-field offences, but also people in the comments section saying, 'Leigh doesn't matter, no one cares', but if it didn't matter, men wouldn't still be in the closet."

Ryswyk's AFL career was brief but memorable. Born in Victoria before moving to the Gold Coast at age six, he joined Brisbane as a rookie for the 2004 season. His sole AFL appearance came against Fremantle in 2005, but a quad injury during his debut effectively ended his top-level career, leading to his delisting at season's end.

Following his AFL departure, Ryswyk built an impressive career with North Adelaide in the SANFL, playing 226 matches and earning induction into the Queensland Football Hall of Fame. His success at state league level demonstrated the talent that had attracted AFL attention.

North Adelaide has expressed strong support for Ryswyk's public announcement, describing him as "the first openly gay past or present AFL/SANFL player." The club emphasized their commitment to creating inclusive environments where all community members feel safe and respected.

AFL Players' Association President Darcy Moore highlighted ongoing collaboration between players and league officials to enhance inclusivity throughout the sport. "We are hearing from men's and women's players that we want more investment with the league on making the league more inclusive for everyone, and we hear that from fans as well in the community."

Ryswyk's courageous decision to share his story publicly represents another important step forward for LGBTQI+ visibility in professional Australian sport, potentially inspiring others while contributing to the ongoing evolution toward greater acceptance and inclusion.