Garry Lyon was full of praise for Darcy Moore and the athletes of the Collingwood Football Club for their decision to issue a letter of apology following the club’s report into racism.
The statement was released on Wednesday evening on behalf of all 150 Collingwood athletes across AFL, AFLW and Super Netball.
Moore quickly got on the front foot and jumped on SEN’s Bob and Andy to explain the club’s actions and Lyon believes it showed the leadership potential of the key defender.
“I thought Darcy Moore was superb and I think the footballers and the netballers just struck the absolute right tone when those around them from an administrative and Eddie McGuire and board level failed to do so,” Lyon told SEN Breakfast.
“I think the first word was really significant in that letter, it was ‘sorry’.
“Which we continued to ask the question earlier in the week and wondered why we hadn’t heard it. I think that was a significant piece of the puzzle we’re all putting together.
“They admitted to the club’s failings. They owned it. They didn’t try and deflect and say it was in the past, they owned it and took responsibility and didn’t try to spin it and I commend them.
“I commend the footballers and the netballers and the whole lot of them that got together and I thought Darcy Moore was superb.
“That sounded like a statesman and a leader to me and maybe this is the future leadership group of the Collingwood Football Club emerging, Taylor Adams is another one.”
Tim Watson wonders whether the way the players responded to the report makes Eddie McGuire’s press conference performance look even worse.
“There was no spin associated with that at all. None,” Watson said.
“They owned it. They could’ve said ‘that hasn’t been part of what I’ve associated with the Collingwood Football Club’.
“The club botched the press conference the other day. They clearly did and the fallout from that was embarrassing and humiliating for the club and those that were associated with that.”
Garry Lyon agreed, adding: “It makes the players look like the leaders in the organisation. That’s what this looks like.
“I’m sure there’s some mitigating circumstances and legalities and that sort of stuff, which doesn’t wash with the general public, they just want the club to do what the players have done.
“That’s the new Collingwood for me.”