Tip of the iceberg': Dawson backed after online abuse

Jordan Dawson has received renewed backing after he was abused online following Adelaide’s season-ending loss to Brisbane, according to fellow AFL captain Jai Newcombe. Newcombe said the social media trolling of players is “pretty toxic” and “pretty ugly,” adding there is a broader volume of abuse that often doesn’t get shown publicly. He pointed to a similar situation earlier in the year involving Hawthorn teammate Mabior Chol, who reported online racist abuse. Newcombe said he is careful not to respond to abusive messages, preferring to skim direct messages or hidden requests rather than read them in full. Asked what could curb trolling, he stressed the need for the right player support when they decide to call it out.