Second lawsuit against Western Bulldogs emerges as AFL club appeals payout to child sexual abuse victim

An AFL club's appeal against a multimillion-dollar compensation payment to a child sexual abuse victim is being heard as a second lawsuit is filed against the Western Bulldogs.

Adam Kneale, 51, took legal action against the Melbourne-based club formerly known as Footscray after telling ABC Sport he was abused by volunteer fundraiser Graeme Hobbs between 1984 and 1990.

Jurors hearing the case in 2023 found the club negligent and ordered it to pay $5.9 million in damages – the largest amount awarded by a jury to an abuse victim in Australia.

It was also the first against an AFL club.

On the eve of the appeal hearing on Friday, reports emerged of a second lawsuit against the club.

“My clients are both determined to see this matter through to the end – it has been a long road,” said attorney Michael Magazanik.

He launched a new appeal for information about paedophile Hobbs, who admitted sexually abusing Mr Kneale, was imprisoned for just over a year and then died in 2009.

“Given the Western Bulldogs' determination to refute these allegations, we have resumed our search for additional individuals and potentially additional victims of Hobbs who may have knowledge of his activities during his time with the Western Bulldogs,” Mr Magazanik said.

The Western Bulldogs have been contacted for comment.

In a statement to News Corp Australia, the club said it would defend itself in the matter, stressing that it treats “any allegation of this nature with the utmost seriousness and care towards all parties involved”.

Hobbs coached the U19s at Footscray Football Club and was a dedicated volunteer fundraiser for the club.

He first sexually abused Mr Kneale when he was 11 or 12 years old in 1984 in an administration building on the club's home grounds, having been introduced to the boy by a schoolmate.

As Mr Kneale grew older and Hobbs continued to abuse him, the now deceased paedophile told him more about the acts he and others had committed.

AAP