June 15, 2026 — 5:30am
A spoof video of departed AFL coaches Brad Scott and Michael Voss letting their hair down in Ibiza might appear harmless, but it offers insight into the growing danger and proliferation of “fake news” and its impact on AFL clubs, players and their families.
Seemingly innocent or light-hearted footage of the former Brisbane Lions premiership teammates finding their dancing feet, unburdened by the stress of coaching, generates a laugh and maybe even sympathy from a social media audience that’s happy to see them smiling. But here’s the catch: the footage isn’t real.
It’s increasingly easy to be confused or misled in cyberspace. Often derided as “AI Slop”, this questionable content is featuring increasingly on Facebook feeds. And it’s often the game’s big names, usually with fanciful and wild claims attached to them, being used to pull you in.
Have you read about Nick Daicos spending $2 million on a homeless shelter? Or stumbled across reports that a star player was involved in a stoush with Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong on live TV? Maybe you just keep scrolling and simply shake your head. Not everyone does. Based on an assessment of Facebook reader comments, footy fans are constantly being hoodwinked as the practice goes into overdrive.
