The ugly issue has raised its head following an incident involving a Collingwood supporter caught in a racist spray against Sydney Swans superstars Adam Goodes and Lewis Jetta on Friday night.

The incident directly follows a confrontation between Goodes and a teenage girl in the crowd who refered to him as an “ape”.

Matt, a Panthers player, has spent his entire life playing football throughout the Central West and in Sydney, and thankfully said he has only ever encountered the problem playing in the Riverina.

“I experienced a little bit in Group 9, but that was from a spectator,” said Mr Rose, who reported it to the committee who subsequently followed up the complaint.

He said while playing in Group 9 there were about four different towns in particular who would use racial vilification against players because they were aware it would get under their skin.

Mr Rose said Adam Goodes has “hit the nail on the head” when he said education was the key to eradicating the problem.

He recalled a team-mate, who was also a really good friend, using a derogatory term for Aborigines, not realising it was offensive.

“He didn’t use it in a derogatory manner, it’s just he was uneducated and didn’t realise it was offensive.

“He’d grown up with it and didn’t know any better,” he said.

“When I actually explained to him it was offensive, he was embarrassed and shocked. He’d grown up around people using the word and he just didn’t realise.

“He was very embarrassed and never once said it again,” he said.

Mr Rose said the community needs to educate people about the problem.

“If we go about this the right way, it will go a long way to alleviating the issue,” he said.