Former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire has defended his viral antics within the wake of Brayden Maynard being cleared to play.
After a prolonged Tribunal listening to on Tuesday night time, Maynard was cleared and is now free to play in Collingwood’s preliminary remaining.
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Shortly after the news was introduced a video of McGuire shortly whipped round social media.
The video, posted to social media by ex-Collingwood and Carlton star Dale Thomas, confirmed McGuire standing up and tapping his glass in a restaurant earlier than saying: “Ladies and gentlemen, justice has been done. Brayden Maynard is free to play for the Pies.”
The video divided footy followers with many not pleased with McGuire for celebrating the decision given Maynard’s hit may finish with Brayshaw hanging up his boots.
“Everyone was mucking around (in the restaurant) I walked in about five minutes before that (video) happens. Everyone as I walked past were asking ‘what’s going on with the Maynard situation?’,” McGuire mentioned on Nine’s Footy Classified on Wednesday night time.
“That was not any thought about that (Brayshaw) and I apologise if anyone actually takes it that way.
“It was all about that Brayden Maynard had got through, a key player for Collingwood going into a preliminary final amongst a lot of Collingwood people who had come up and asked for photos at that stage.
“It was pure fun in what has been a very very raw situation.
“You’re still allowed to have some fun in the game and there was no slight or malice towards anyone and unbridled joy that a champion of the Collingwood football club will be right to play in the final.”
McGuire was torn to shreds by radio host Jase Hawkins who launched a scathing rant over the footage.
Hawkins on Wednesday mentioned McGuire’s actions weren’t the picture the membership needed.
“Every time I talk to a Pies supporter, I’m like why does the club have such a bad name, Eddie Maguire’s name comes up every time because of w***** moves like this,” Hawkins mentioned on on KIIS 101.1’s Jase & Lauren.
“Sit down you kn**. Justice has been done? There is a player now who has to sit a week out from concussion and his family is outraged because he may not ever play again and you’ve got this d***head sitting up in restaurants screaming stuff like that. That’s not the image the club wants.”
The AFL finally elected to not enchantment the Tribunal’s choice, as a substitute stating they’d be launching a assessment of gamers’ responsibility of care in the direction of their opponents earlier than the 2024 season.
AFL soccer boss Laura Kane mentioned the league would have appealed the choice if it felt there have been grounds for a problem.
“It’s a difficult incident, it’s really challenging for everybody involved, but we didn’t feel there were grounds to appeal,” Kane advised reporters on Wednesday.
“If we did feel there were grounds to appeal, we would have.”
The league introduced the choice shortly after the 12pm deadline on Wednesday, saying in a press release it had given the decision “careful consideration”.
“The AFL has decided not to appeal the Tribunal’s decision,” the assertion learn.
“The AFL understands that the outcome of this case will not sit well with everyone who watches and plays our game.
“No one likes to see a player suffer a serious concussion as Angus Brayshaw did and also see the impact the incident had on him, his family and friends, his teammates and his club.
The statement flagged a review of how incidents like Maynard’s attempted smother would be policed heading into next season.
“The health and safety of players in our game will always be the AFL’s priority and regardless of the tribunal outcome this incident will be subject to close examination at the end of the season.”
Kane mentioned if guidelines have been tweaked round gamers’ responsibility of care over the low season, it will not be merely to deal with the precise situation involving Maynard and Brayshaw.
“We review all rules and regulations, so the process that we go through at the end of each season is not contained to one incident, necessarily,” she mentioned.
– with Ed Bourke, NCA Newswire
Source: www.news.com.au
