Western Bulldog Robert Murphy has blasted the football public for its 'sick fascination' with gay players.
Former Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett sparked renewed debate on Wednesday with his speculation that up to one in every 20 AFL players is gay and hiding their homosexuality for fear of being ridiculed.
Kennett told the Herald Sun newspaper that gay players who effectively live a double life are at greater risk of depression.
"I think there's a bit of a sick fascination," said Murphy.
"I hear people on the streets, about who it is and how many there is."
"I think that's really irrelevant."
"It's about accepting not just people who are gay, but from all walks of life with different outlooks."
"Numbers and figures just fuels a bit of a sick fascination."
The AFL has responded to Kennett's concerns by pledging its support to anyone who's prepared to come out.
"It's entirely a choice for that particular person," said AFL CEO Demetriou.
"But if a player wanted to make it public about his sexual preference then he would get absolutely nothing but support from the AFL, and nothing but support from everyone in the industry."
Demetriou said the league was 'ahead of the game' in terms of preventing discrimination on the basis of sexuality, but Murphy is not convinced that everyone is up to speed.
"I think we've come a long way," he said.
"But ... the fact that it's still an issue and I'm standing here answering these questions probably suggests we haven't come far enough."
"The (fixation with) who and how many, I just think there's an undertone that I don't really like."
Murphy said that while the Bulldogs were keen to make a winning start to their NAB Cup campaign in Saturday's tri-series matches against Collingwood and Greater Western Sydney at Blacktown, it may take several weeks for new coach Brendan McCartney's game plan to be bedded down.
"We're travelling along pretty well," he said.
"I don't want to get too carried away."
"We're happy with how we've gone over the summer, but until we start we really don't know."
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs have announced the return of former star forward Barry Hall in an ambassadorial role for the club.
The 34-year-old, who retired at the end of last season after a highly-successful two-year stint at Whitten Oval, will perform promotional work and spend time in junior development.
"This is a good role for me," said Hall.
"I can keep things light-hearted and still mingle with the boys and be part of the club."
Preparing for a new career as a professional boxer, Hall said he was training hard and weighing up a number of challenges for his first fight expected to be in April or May.
"I'm in a pretty solid stage at the moment and ... it's something I'm not used to," he said.
"People often ask me, what's harder, footy or boxing and it's boxing at the moment, clearly because I'm not used to it."