RAINBOW UNITES GAME AMID CALLS FOR PRIDE ROUND

COMMUNITY and professional football clubs will fly the flag for pride this weekend as calls grow for a dedicated AFL round.

St Kilda and Sydney will contest a Pride Game in Melbourne tomorrow night in a show of support to the LGBTIQ community.

Grassroots clubs will also swap their traditional guernseys for colours of the rainbow in coming weeks.

The 50m arc at Etihad Stadium will be painted rainbow colours tomorrow and goal umpires will wave flags bearing the same colours in another show of support.

St Kilda footballer Hunter Clark said the league would be supportive of the first gay AFL player to come out publicly.

``I think when it happens, everyone will be right with them,’’ he said.

And he said an entire AFL Pride round had merit. “I think it’s important to raise awareness at all levels of footy,’’ he said. “It’s great the two clubs get involved and in the future it would be great if all 18 clubs got on-board.’’

Picture: DAVID CAIRD Players who will don rainbow jumpers to support the LGBTIQ community include (back row, from left) Brede Seccull, Hunter Clark, Ted Lindon, Marcus Thompson, Nelson Browne, Michael Taplin, (front row, from left) Jess Dal Pos, Georgia Ricardo and Emma...