Caitlin Moran backed amid furore over Queen's death post
NRLW player Caitlin Moran has received the public backing of her coach amid uproar in response to a since deleted Instagram post referring to the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Newcastle Knights player will be investigated by the NRL Integrity Unity over her post last weekend in reponse to the 96-year-old monarch's death, which sparked calls for her to be stood down.
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“Todays a good fkn day, uncle Luke announces his tour, and this dumb dog dies Happpy fkn Friday,” Moran wrote, with the likes of radio host Ray Hadley labelling it 'reprehensible'.
Moran, a former Jillaroos star, made her return to rugby league on Sunday after taking extended time to recover from an ACL injury suffered back in 2018.
The NRL allowed the investigation of Moran to be deferred until this week, which allowed her to come off the bench for 24 minutes in the Knights' 18-16 loss to the Roosters.
Knights coach Ronald Griffiths threw his support behind Moran, acknowledging that the death of the Queen had prompted mixed emotions, with the legacy of the colonial British empire still felt around the world, particularly among Indigenous Australians.
When asked, Griffiths said he 'wasn't worried' about what Moran had posted and said he was confident it would be dealt with appropriately.
“The relationship between indigenous people and the monarchy is a complicated one," he said.
"If Caitlin has done something then it will be investigated by the Integrity Unit and we’ll work our way through the process.”
Moran deleted the story from her Instagram roughly eight hours after it was posted.
“The NRL became aware of the post on Friday 9 September,” an NRL spokesperson said.
“The Newcastle Knights were contacted immediately and enquiries commenced by the NRL Integrity Unit.”
The controversy surrounding Moran comes as the AFLW also attracted criticism for their decision not to hold a minute's silence for the Queen.
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The 96-year-old monarch died late last week, with many sporting codes around the world pausing to honour her memory, while many others, particularly throughout the UK, have been postponed entirely.
A minute of silence was held prior to each of the AFL men's finals fixtures held this weekend, but the AFLW were in a much more awkward position considering they are recognising Indigenous Round this week.
A minute of silence was observed prior to the Western Bulldogs' clash with Fremantle on Friday, but with some within the AFLW unhappy with the lack of consultation from head office it was subsequently abandoned for following fixtures.
The decision caused a degree of backlash among some observers, however Western Bulldogs director Belinda Duarte explained that commemorating the Queen's legacy was a concept that clashed with the spirit of the Indigenous round.
She said the legacy of the monarchy 'unearthed deep wounds' among Indigenous people.
“While for many Australians it’s seen as appropriate to recognise the significance of the Queen’s passing, we must understand what this brings up for First Peoples, the impact of colonisation and what the monarchy represents to us and our families,” Duarte said.
AFL reporter Sam Edmund posted on Twitter, saying the Indigenous elder who had agreed to do the Welcome to Country for the Bulldogs-Fremantle fixture had backed out over the planned minute of silence.
"The AFL's decision to banish the minute's silence for the Queen in the remaining AFLW indigenous round matches came to a head last night," Edmund posted on Saturday.
"The minute's silence for Dogs-Freo at Ikon Park prompted the Welcome to Country person to withdraw. AFL listened to club feedback & acted."
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