WA'S two football clubs have joined Carlton in refusing to take a position on same-sex marriage, putting them at

odds with the formal position of the AFL.

The Dockers and Eagles distanced themselves from the league’s push for a Yes vote in the marriage law survey, saying they preferred to keep out of the hotly charged political debate because the issue was one of “personal choice”.

Half the AFL’s teams have declared their support for a Yes vote, including Collingwood, St Kilda, Geelong, Gold Coast Suns, Western Bulldogs, North Melbourne, Sydney Swans, Brisbane Lions and Greater Western Sydney.

The AFL has removed its controversial Yes sign, which it maintains was only ever meant to replace the AFL logo at its Docklands headquarters for 24 hours.

But it is standing firm in its support of marriage equality in the face of criticism from politicians, conservative figures and some of its members.

AFL House in Docklands had to be evacuated yesterday after it received a threatening phone call but police soon gave staff the all-clear to return to work.

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Fremantle Football Club said it had a general policy of not taking part in campaigns of a political nature.

“At a club level we believe whatever decision our members and supporters choose to make regarding the survey is a personal choice, which we respect and do not seek to influence,” its statement said.

A spokesman for West Coast said the club believed it was up to individuals to make such decisions.

The clubs’ position is also out of step with the stand taken by AFL chairman Richard Goyder, who has been an advocate of marriage equality since 2015 and argued last week that allowing same-sex couples to marry was “unambiguously the right thing to do”.

Despite their clubs declining to take a position, individual players voiced their opinions.

West Coast star Luke Shuey backed the Yes case in May, posting a picture to Instagram of himself wearing an Equality T-shirt captioned: “I’ve signed for marriage equality, because everybody deserves the opportunity! Wake up Australia.”

Fremantle’s David Mundy and Connor Blakely have also joined the Equality campaign.

Collingwood Football Club president Eddie McGuire defended the AFL yesterday, slamming “gutless” politicians for burdening Australia with the postal survey process.

“The reason the AFL and the football clubs have become a bit more of a lightning rod for social issues is because we’ve got such gutless politicians who cannot make a decision,” Mr McGuire told Triple M radio.

West Coast Fever is supporting marriage equality.

A spokesman said the team was fully behind Netball Australia’s position