Former Australian Rules Footballer Sam Newman has publicly defended a fan who wore black face paint as part of a costume for the Adelaide Crows, an AFL team. The incident occurred during the Crows' elimination final match against the Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval.
Newman, speaking on his podcast "You Cannot Be Serious," criticized those who took issue with the costume, referring to the fan as a man. "Crows are black. He painted his face black, put on a beak and the colours of the Crows uniform, and he went to the football," Newman stated. He questioned the objections, asking, "Well, if you wanted to pretend you're a crow and crows are black, what better way to do it?" He also dismissed the characterization of the costume as 'blackface,' expressing disbelief at the world's reactions.
The supporter at the center of the controversy has been identified as Colleen McKaye, a 59-year-old club stalwart. McKaye wore black face paint and a beak as part of her costume, designed to represent Claude the Crow, the team's mascot since 1991. The costume also included a black hood, feathered wings, black gloves, and a red bow tie.
Images of McKaye in her costume, sitting with the Crows cheer squad, circulated online. The Carlton Cheersquad was among those to criticize the outfit on Instagram, posting, "@adelaidefc cheersquad in blackface? What the actual f***?"
However, other supporters defended McKaye, emphasizing that her costume was an accurate representation of the club's mascot. Her son, James, told the Daily Mail that the online backlash had taken a toll on his mother, who had become uncontactable. "She's just a person who loves her footy club so to be painted as a racist [is just awful for her]," he said.
McKaye herself stated that her intention was not to offend and that the black face paint was used to make the costume more realistic, noting her black gloves were also part of the design. She mentioned that many attendees found the costume to be cool and asked for photos with her.
McKaye has a long history of dedication to the Adelaide Crows. She was recognized as the AFL Fans Association Female Fan of the Year in 2018 for her contributions, which include assisting fellow fans with travel and tickets, and organizing banners. She previously told the Adelaide Football Club that she "lives and breathes the Crows" and dedicates significant time to supporting them, often arriving at games hours early to help with setup.
Peter Kauschke, president of the Crows Supporter Group, also defended McKaye, stating that she had replicated the mascot Claude the Crow and that the red bow was part of the costume's headpiece.