Collingwood and West Coast have come out in support of a First Nations Voice to Parliament following a call to action from the AFL.
Last week, AFL General Manager of Inclusion and Social Policy and First Nations woman Tanya Hosch sent a memo to all 18 AFL clubs encouraging each to advise the league if they "will be taking a position to support the referendum yes campaign".
"As the AFL will be considering this in the coming weeks, your advice on this will be gratefully received," the memo said, according to reports.
"This information is supplied to provide guidance regarding language to support building awareness of the Referendum during Sir Doug Nicholls Round in 2023."
The push follows a turbulent period of racist attacks against current Indigenous players and serious allegations of misconduct involving past players directed at individual clubs.
On Saturday, the Magpies came out in support of the Voice, citing the club's engagement in better understanding "its past".
In recent years Collingwood have faced scrutiny for the environment they provided to multicultural players, including those from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds.
The criticism ultimately led to their 2021 Do Better report.
"The Collingwood Football Club has been on a journey for a number of years now to better understand its past in order to be better for the future and the Board's support for a First Nations Voice to Parliament is a natural progression of its commitment to doing and being better," their statement read.
"As a board, we believe supporting a First Nations Voice to Parliament is the right thing to do."
On Monday the Eagles released a statement made in consultation and after advice from the club's Elders in Residence, Reconciliation Action Plan committee similarly in favour of constitutional change.
The statement was also endorsed by the Board of Directors, including former WA Treasurer Ben Wyatt.
"The West Coast Eagles story has been heavily influenced by our great Indigenous players who have represented our Club so passionately both on the field and in the community," the Eagles' statement read.
Both clubs supported the right for all Australians to make an informed individual decisions with their vote ahead of this year's referendum.
Prior to the Eagles' announcement, pockets of the media and political landscape surfaced to slam the AFL's address to its clubs.
Despite "strongly" supporting the Voice, Sky News host Chris Kenny labelled the move a "huge concern" and "emotional bullying".
"Why should a footy club have a position on the Voice?" Kenny said.
"Sporting clubs have a wide variety of members with a wide variety of views. Sports clubs understand that one of the reasons people love sport is because it provides a refuge from their daily concerns about work or other pressures, including politics."
National Party's Federal Senator for Victoria Bridget McKenzie called the memo "coercion".
The league has asked clubs to respond to the memo by May 8, a fortnight out from Sir Doug Nicholls Round.
