Former West Coast Eagles player Mitch Brown and his partner Lou Keck share exciting news of expecting their first child together. The couple revealed the announcement on Instagram with a heartfelt video showing Brown kissing Keck’s baby bump while she displayed the positive pregnancy test.
Brown, a premiership winner with the Eagles, captioned the post: “Something exciting coming October 2026,” accompanied by a white heart emoji. Fans quickly flooded the comments with congratulations, including model Olivia Molly Rogers who wrote, “Omg yay! Congratulations!”
Background on Brown’s Historic Coming Out
Brown, 37, made headlines last August as the first openly bisexual player in Australian Football League (AFL) history. He declared, “I played in the AFL for 10 years for the West Coast Eagles and I’m a bisexual man.”
The former defender, who appeared in 96 games for the Eagles from 2007 to 2016, shared his story shortly after the league faced criticism over a player’s use of a homophobic slur. Adelaide Crows’ Izak Rankine received a four-week suspension for the incident.
Brown highlighted the challenges of team culture, noting the “hypermasculinity” in AFL locker rooms. “In the locker room and in the spas, the chats were all geared around ‘Who did everyone pick up on the weekend?’ Or, you know, ‘she’s pretty hot,'” he explained. “It was never once an opportunity to speak openly or explore your feelings or questions in a safe way.”
Family Support and Personal Life
Brown shares two sons with his ex-wife, former professional netballer Shae Bolton-Brown, after 16 years of marriage. The pair separated amicably and maintain a close relationship.
Bolton-Brown expressed strong support following his announcement, posting on Instagram about their shared history as teenage athletes. “I for one couldn’t be prouder of Mitch and will celebrate his vulnerability loudly so hopefully those baby athletes currently playing in the AFL feel seen and safe and can be every little bit of their weird… and so our kids can too,” she wrote.
Keck stood by Brown during his landmark revelation last year.
Another Milestone in AFL LGBTQ+ Visibility
Brown’s openness paves the way for further progress in the sport. Former Brisbane Lions player Leigh Ryswyk recently came out as gay on Melbourne radio station Joy 94.9’s GayFL program.
“To people who know me, my closest friends, this is not new. I’ve been out for five years now,” Ryswyk stated. “There will be people, though, if they do listen to this, it will be the first time they know about this. I’m a very private person, so it’s not all over my social media.”
When asked about his timing, he replied simply, “Why not?”
