Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Fremantle legend Michael Walters has made an impassioned defence of Ross Lyon after his former coach became embroiled in a racism furore following comments made to three Indigenous St Kilda players earlier this season.
Walters threw his support behind his former Dockers coach and said he did not believe the Saints coach would have realised at the time his comment referring to a group of Indigenous players as “brother boys” would have been offensive.
During a training drill involving three Indigenous players at the start of April, Lyon reportedly said “I love the Brotherboy connection but we all have to remember we are part of a bigger team here,” Caroline Wilson revealed on The Agenda Setters on Monday night.
St Kilda Indigenous leader Bradley Hill and superstar Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera reportedly took umbrage at the comments and in the days following the incident, Lyon met with players and offered to consider his position.
After both Hill and Wanganeen-Milera backed the coach on Instagram on Monday night, Walters said while he did not witness the incident, he felt it may have been blown out of proportion.
“I’m a big advocate for Ross, not only him as a coach, but just him as a person. I’ve seen it on numerous occasions, the way tries to delve into the indigenous culture and tries to learn as much as he can about it,” he told 92.9 Triple M With Xav and Katie.
“I can’t really comment on the situation, but I know Ross better than most, I still speak to him now and he’s one if he does upset anyone, he will cop the brunt of the scrutiny that will come with it.
“He would have been upset. I think he said something along the lines of ‘you brother boys have a good connection’, which everyone knows we do; it’s no secret, it’s not a stupid comment.
“A lot of players, we got on well together as a team, but the Indigenous players, they play on instinct and know where each other are. It’s not a stupid comment.”
Walters, who kicked 365 goals in 239 AFL games, said he owed his career to Lyon and his tough-love approach.
“He was not only a great coach and he cared about on-field, he was more so more invested in the off-field side of things, and making sure that players are invested in their life away from football, because he’s one that showed me that you are only one injury away from retirement,” he said.
Walters said he did not believe Lyon meant any ill-harm by the comment, but also fully understood why the Saints’ Indigenous players had been hurt.
“It’s one of those comments people do say flippantly sometimes, and a lot of them do not mean any wrongdoing by saying it but at the same time, you can see how some people do take it in the wrong manner,” he said.
Lyon fronted reporters on Tuesday and admitted his mistake.
“Culture’s really important and behaviour’s really important, and I made an error, unintentionally, resolved it with my players and I’m thankful for their support,” he told reporters.
“As a leader of the club, it’s important that you get it right every time.
“We’re all only as good as our next moment and it’s good to be held to account and for everyone in the AFL industry, we need to stay vigilant.”
In a previous statement to the original Agenda Setters story, Lyon confirmed the story was correct.
“Was I being flippant? Could it be described as casual racism?” he said in the statement.
“It didn’t land where it should have landed, and I have to wear that, and I take full responsibility for what I said.
“I was very emotional at the meeting, and I offered to consider my position.”
