Jack Riewoldt says AFL players should have no hesitation in calling out reporters.
A report in The Age this week suggested that the AFL Players Association has urged its members to stand up for themselves if they believe they have been the subject of ‘fake news’.
The players’ union believes inaccurate stories and unfair reporting should be contested which makes perfect sense to Richmond forward Riewoldt, although the Tigers premiership star is all for keeping strong relationships with the media.
“It comes down to the responsibility of both parties,” Riewoldt said on SEN Afternoons.
“If players feel strongly enough that they’ve been unjustly spoken about or something that doesn’t really sit well with them, you get on the front foot with it.
“Whether that’s in the public domain or in a private conversation with the person responsible for the article, then that’s how the player deals with it.
“If we can continue to have a healthy relationship between the two parties, no doubt there’ll continue to be less fake news and more feel-good stories about the AFL.”
Richmond vice-captain Riewoldt was speaking from the AFL Captain's Day where he was deputising for skipper Trent Cotchin.
