Former Essendon champion Tim Watson has declared on-field sledging is a players’ issue and has suggested they sign their own personal code of conduct that determines what is acceptable and unacceptable.
This comes after Carlton skipper Mark Murphy took exception to sledges, believed to be of a family nature delivered by St Kilda players, during Saturday’s defeat at Etihad Stadium.
“This is a player issue, not an AFL issue,” Watson said on SEN Breakfast.
“Lots of stuff gets said out there on the AFL field, But what do the players find acceptable? What’s crossing the line? What’s banter?
“If what I’ve been told is what’s been said to Murphy, I would find it extremely disappointing to think the modern AFL player thinks it’s fair game.
“Write a code amongst yourselves boys. Be mature, be responsible.”
Watson has called on the AFL Players Association to be proactive, and declare such sledging is unacceptable.
“By five o’clock today, I would hope that we would hear from the Players Association in some meaningful way and say okay we’re going to do something about this, this is not acceptable,” he said.
“We would like to think that all our members of the Players Association show more respect for each other, than embarking on this type of behaviour.”
Legendary journalist Mike Sheahan agreed with Watson’s view that it is an issue the players should police and is an issue that needs to be addressed.
“I think it’s a matter the players should police,” he said.
“I can understand Marc Murphy not wanting to take it any further, Marc Murphy didn’t want to take it anywhere, he didn’t want it to happen.
“They (the AFLPA) should be bold enough and brave enough not to say oh we’re all in this together, and it will go away and everything’s okay.
“They’ve been proactive on pay, they should be proactive on conditions too, and one of the conditions is in your workplace, you shouldn’t be subjected to stuff from someone else that clearly offends you.
“Murphy’s an experienced player, he’s not going to go off, unless he was really offended and it was of a personal nature.”