The woman caught up in a blackface controversy during Saturday’s AFL elimination final has said she is “deeply distressed” and is not taking calls, even from friends.

Daily Mail can reveal the supporter is 59-year-old Adelaide Crows stalwart Colleen McKaye, who darkened her face while dressed as the club’s mascot for the team’s win over the Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval.

McKaye, who was named the AFL Fans Association’s female Fan of the Year in 2018, has long been involved with the Crows’ official cheer squad, serving on its committee and maintaining links with the group for more than a decade.

She has since withdrawn from public view after broadcast cameras showed her in the stands wearing the contentious costume, triggering a national backlash and renewed debate over racism in sport.

“She is not taking any calls at the moment,” her son James told Daily Mail on Monday.

‘I’ve had all her friends messaging me worried because she’s not answering her phone. She’s not doing too great after everything.’

Ms McKaye was seated in the Crows cheer squad bay behind the goal square when the cameras picked her out of the crowd in her costume.

She was accused of ‘blackface’, where a non-black person darkens their skin to imitate a black person, historically lampooning the race for racist minstrel shows.

She also attracted condemnation for adding a red bow tie typically worn by minstrels and used on old-fashioned golliwog dolls, but not traditionally worn by the club’s mascot, Claude the Crow.

‘For big games… I dress up in over-the-top clothes to show my Crows colours,’ she told her club’s website after she was named fan of the year in 2018.

At games, she is known for firing up the crowd to sing supporter chants. 

‘I live and breathe the Crows and so much of my time is spent supporting them,’ she said.

In a picture of her in a previous costume, she wore a t-shirt emblazoned with the number 19 – the number once worn by Crow favourite Patrick Dangerfield.

Ms McKaye’s son said he went to visit her on Monday morning, but revealed that she was ‘not doing well’.

‘She’s just a person who loves her footy club so to be painted as a racist [is just awful for her]…’ he said.

Ms McKaye has worked as assistant treasurer and fundraising manager for the supporter group, organising raffles and other fundraising initiatives. 

She has been part of the supporter group’s banner making team, organises buses and tickets for interstate games and attends all home games as well as some interstate matches.

Her son said she would not be travelling to the Gabba in Brisbane to support the Crows in their semi-final clash with the Lions on Saturday night.

He was unsure if she would ever attend a football match again.  

In a statement to the Daily Mail, Crows Supporters Group president Peter Kauschke spoke out in support and explained why she included the red bow tie.

‘It’s sad about all the comments,’ he said. ‘However, yes, she purchased a costume and replicated Claude the Crow.

‘She had the red bow due to the headpiece coming off.’

Mr Kauschke also linked to a video of News24 host James Macpherson’s opinion piece slamming those who labelled Ms McKaye a racist.

On his Sunday night show, Macpherson said, ‘Isn’t [it a] tragedy that when people think of a Crows supporter dressed as a crow, they’ve been trained to think of race.

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‘It never occurs to them that she’s obviously a crow. And so everyone ends up going cuckoo. 

‘Here’s what I hate about the left’s obsession with race. When you teach people to interpret the world through race, people eventually stop seeing other people. 

‘And they certainly stop seeing context. Instead, they just see skin colour, and reach for the nearest pitchfork.’

Ms McKaye told local media on Sunday: ‘I just thought it would be more realistic [to have black paint on her skin], that’s why I’ve got black gloves as well.

‘A lot of people have thought the costume was cool and have asked to get photos with me.’

Perth-based race advocate Suresh Rajan said a white person painting her face black in 2026 was ‘incomprehensible’.

‘Her argument is that her intent was not to cause offence,’ he said. ‘Intent does not make a difference in racism matters, it is the outcome of the actions.

‘A number of people have said it was her dressing up as the club’s mascot. 

‘My only comment is that Claude the Crow mascot does not wear the red bow tie, [but] black and white minstrels do.

‘Blackface carries with it a long and deeply racist history of caricaturing, ridiculing and dehumanising black people. 

‘It reduced human beings to grotesque stereotypes for the entertainment of others. That history cannot simply be wished away by saying, “I didn’t mean to offend”.

‘Indeed, the AFL itself has previously been unequivocal: any use of blackface is unacceptable.

‘This is particularly disturbing in a sport which owes so much to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players. Indigenous footballers have enriched our national game immeasurably, while too many have simultaneously endured racial abuse from spectators, opponents and social media.

‘We have heard the stories. We have seen the hurt. We have supposedly learned the lessons.

‘So how, in 2026, does someone arrive at an AFL game in blackface without recognising what that imagery represents?’

‘There must be no ambiguity about this. Blackface is racist. Blackface is offensive. Blackface has no place in Australian society – and absolutely no place in Australian football.’

The Daily Mail has contacted Adelaide Football Club for comment.

It’s not the first time the Crows have found themselves embroiled in a race-based scandal.

In 2021, club stalwart Taylor Walker, who served as captain between 2015 and 2019 and will retire at the end of the Crows’ finals campaign, was suspended for six weeks by the AFL after he made a racist comment at an SANFL game.

The comment, made toward Aboriginal North Adelaide player Robbie Young, was reported to the club by one of its own officials.

Walker made a grovelling public statement, and privately apologised to Young.

‘I did not intend to cause harm, but I know and understand that I have caused deep hurt to the official who reported the matter and to Robbie Young, to both of their families and to the wider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community,’ he said at the time. 

‘The official who reported this showed courage and leadership in calling out what I said, and I am determined to do what I can to emulate his actions.’

A Melbourne radio host has become emotional while recounting what she believes was a frightening near-miss with human trafficking after a night out with friends.

Grace Newton-Wordsworth, 28, a Joy FM presenter and member of the band Joan & the Giants, said the alleged incident unfolded over the weekend.

‘I was walking home in the early hours of the morning after being out with friends and I was walking on a main street towards my street. A guy got out of his car quite quickly,’ she said.

‘He was like, “Hey, do you have a lighter?” and I got out my lighter.’

Newton-Wordsworth said the man continued the conversation by asking a series of questions, including where she lived.

‘I said I need to go, but thanks for the lovely chat,’ she recalled.

But the man then offered to drive her home, urging her to get into his car.

Newton-Wordsworth said something did not feel right and she decided to ‘trust my gut and intuition’ and walked away.

She noticed a white car slow beside her, stopping at a sign for what felt like an unusually long time.

‘This is not normal, he should be gone,’ Newton-Wordsworth recalled thinking.

‘I just started feeling like they were working together.’

She said she became concerned about why the first man was so interested in where she lived.

‘I don’t know where this guy needs to know where I live,’ she said.

Ms Newton-Wordsworth chose a different route home to stop the men from finding out where she lived.

‘I’m going down a different street, so they don’t know where I live,’ she recalled.

But she said the white car began reversing.

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‘This is so stressful,’ she said.

She noticed the man from the first car watching down the street as the white car reversed.

‘I had to make a choice. If I don’t move now, I feel like they are going to do something awful,’ Newton-Wordsworth said.

‘I just bolted into my apartment and I was shaking and so scared.’

She said she was terrified knowing the men now know where she lives.

She said the experience left her extremely frightened and convinced she had been deliberately targeted.

‘I am fairly certain I was targeted for trafficking,’ she said and warned other women to be careful. 

‘It was very scary. It is not safe out there for women. We have to live with our guard up,’ she warned. 

Newton-Wordsworth shared her encounter on Instagram, with other women saying they’d had similar, horrifying experiences.

‘Similar thing happened to me in Melbourne,’ one wrote.

‘He popped up out of nowhere in front of me as I was walking and looking at my phone, grabbed me and tried to pull me into a white car.

‘He already had the car door open. I elbowed him and then he shoved me into a brick fence and then tried to drag me into the car again.’ 

‘I’ve been in similar situations. Often if there’s a business near by or someone passing you can go to them and signal you need help,’ a second added. 

Daily Mail contacted Victoria Police for comment.

Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce have publicly backed Warren Pickering, One Nation’s Victorian leader, as the party faces scrutiny over disputed claims about his personal history.

Pickering has firmly rejected allegations reported by The Australian from his former partner Jo Scott, who claimed he lived a double life during their 18-year relationship involving illicit drug use, including methamphetamine, and behaviour she described as “sexual deviance”.

The claims, many of which are said to date back more than 10 years, have prompted fresh questions about Pickering’s standing within One Nation and whether senior figures were aware of the allegations before he was elevated to the party’s Victorian leadership.

Hanson, speaking to journalists in Canberra on Monday, sought to shut down the issue, repeatedly characterising the matter as personal and making clear she was not withdrawing her support for Pickering.

“This is a personal matter. We’ve responded to it and I’ve got nothing more to say,” she said.

Pressed on whether Pickering had disclosed any past drug use during One Nation’s vetting process, Hanson refused to go further.

‘As I said, this is a family matter. It’s a personal matter for Warren Pickering, and I’ve made my comments,’ she said.

Reporters challenged Hanson over whether voters had a right to know about allegations relating to a senior politician and if similar claims about another party would prompt greater scrutiny.

Hanson stood firm, insisting the allegations were disputed.

‘These are allegations that were put to One Nation and he has denied those allegations,’ she said.

‘There is quite an extensive story there…. I suggest that I will not be commenting further.’

Asked whether she continued to support Pickering as the party’s Victorian leader, Hanson reiterated her defence.

‘It is a personal situation. He has said he denies the false allegations that have been made against him,’ she said.

Joyce, standing with Hanson, urged caution about treating the allegations as fact.

‘That issue is contested. Let’s first of all say it’s contested,’ he said.

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‘It’s not proven and I know everybody is going to be very careful about saying the word allegation because otherwise we end up in all sorts of problems.’

Joyce also noted Pickering went on to serve in the Australian Defence Force, and emphasised that the claims refer to events from many years ago.

‘Remember, subsequent to that he was enlisted and served in the Australian Defence Force. He managed to serve our nation,’ he said.

The controversy follows a report in The Australian detailing allegations by Scott, 54, about their former relationship.

The paper reported the claims were backed by handwritten letters and text messages allegedly sent by Pickering apologising for his behaviour when ‘on the shit’, ‘on the gear’ and ‘using substances’.

According to the report, Pickering allegedly wrote during a difficult period in 2011 and 2012 that ‘the drugs’ were to blame for his self-described ‘sexual deviance’.

The article also cited a former member of the couple’s social circle who claimed to have witnessed Pickering smoking ice at a property in Garfield, in Victoria’s west Gippsland, on numerous occasions between 2006 and 2010.

Pickering has rejected the allegations in full.

‘These allegations are false,’ he said in a written statement to the Australian. 

‘They are extremely hurtful and I just hope the public can see through them.’

He also claimed Scott attempted to use what he described as ‘false and salacious’ allegations during family law disputes dating back to 2010, saying those claims had been routinely dismissed.

While denying the latest allegations, Pickering reportedly refused to answer specific written questions from The Australian regarding alleged ice use and apparent admissions in the correspondence cited by the paper.

Mary Fowler has opened up about the realities of her long-distance relationship with Nathan Cleary, revealing the pair may only see each other twice a year and now avoid dwelling on how much they miss one another.

The Matildas star and Penrith Panthers playmaker are one of Australian sport’s highest-profile couples, but their elite careers often place them in different parts of the world for extended stretches.

Fowler, who plays in England for Manchester City, said the uncertainty of their schedules means they are careful about locking in reunion plans, with cancelled trips only adding to the strain of being apart.

‘Even with Nathan, it’s gotten to a point where we don’t really want to say that we miss each other because it makes it harder,’ she told AFR.

‘Because then you think about it. It’s stuff like that, where you both kind of have to adjust to being apart.’

The revelation comes amid uncertainty surrounding Cleary’s future, with the NRL superstar delaying a decision on whether to extend his time at Penrith until after the 2026 finals series.

Fowler said the distance between Manchester and Penrith had forced them to build their relationship through conversation.

‘Something that we both really appreciate about the long distance is that our form of connection has had to be through talking for much of it,’ she said.

‘I think that’s really enabled the relationship to grow on a nice foundation of just being friends first.

‘We always have stuff to talk about, even if it’s just random things. I do think that helps in the long run, just being really good friends.’

The pair also have an informal book club that allows them to share an activity despite being on opposite sides of the world.

‘Being able to find things where we can connect from afar really helps,’ Fowler said.

‘Just to feel like, “Oh, he’s there with me in a way.”

‘When I read my book, I’m like, “This feels nice because I know he’s going to be reading his book too.”‘

Fowler’s latest comments come as uncertainty surrounds where Cleary will play beyond the end of his current Panthers contract.

The 28-year-old is signed with Penrith through the 2027 season but has delayed making a decision about an extension until after the 2026 finals series.

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If he does not agree to a new deal before November 1, he will be free to negotiate with rival clubs for the 2028 season.

The incoming PNG Chiefs have been linked with a lucrative offer reportedly worth $1.5million a year, while Cleary was also the subject of speculative interest from English Super League club Hull KR earlier in 2026.

Cleary has stressed that he does not intend to rush such a significant decision.

‘It’s a big decision, and I feel like one thing has rolled into another,’ he said.

‘The Origin period was so hectic, and when we came out of it, we weren’t playing our best footy. My mind has just been elsewhere.

‘I have another whole year of Penrith anyway, and it’s always felt like it’s so far away, but I guess it is creeping up a bit now. I’m pretty patient with it.’

The return of his younger brother Jett to Penrith has also given Cleary another reason to consider remaining at the club.

He admitted the possibility of playing alongside Jett was ‘something to weigh up’.

Fowler, meanwhile, has returned to Manchester as City prepare for the new Women’s Super League season.

The 23-year-old resumed playing in February after recovering from the ACL injury that kept her sidelined for almost a year.

Her minutes have been carefully managed since her comeback, but she said she was again feeling comfortable on the field.

‘I’m feeling like myself,’ Fowler said.

‘We have a really good squad, and the other girls who play in my position, I love them.

‘There’s obviously a healthy competition there, but there’s not really any envy. I never have a problem with people playing ahead of me; I know that they’re doing really well.’

Fowler was preparing for a friendly against Barcelona while also planning to spend an afternoon searching for a second-hand camera.

Her immediate focus is earning more minutes for Manchester City, with the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics looming.

She described her disappointing Paris Olympics campaign as an important lesson after pressure and heightened expectations affected her performances.

‘I ended up having a very below-average tournament because I was so in my head about things,’ she said.

‘I just need to play free.’