AFLPA CEO Paul Marsh has a difficult job, and we are always appreciative.
We have had a good few debates with him over the journey, he came into the studio recently and we enjoy chatting about the things that are challenging the AFL players.
This vaccination thing is going to be interesting, and coronavirus in general is going to be interesting as we enter a new era where it’s in the community. Players are going to be testing positive, you would think weekly.
Marsh released a statement on the back of reports that a Richmond AFLW player tested positive and also Adelaide’s Deni Varnhagen and her unwillingness to be vaccinated.
Read Marsh’s statement below:
It’s a tough time for everybody at the moment, including those that are dealing with these issues. Some observations on today’s Covid related AFL matters. pic.twitter.com/e68kTHghEg
— Paul Marsh (@Marsh_Paul) October 18, 2021
That’s the statement. They want privacy.
Does Paul not know that Deni was at a freedom march in Adelaide, posting it to her social media accounts for all to see that she doesn’t want to be vaccinated?
So don’t hit up the media about reporting on an issue when your own player is at a freedom rally through the streets of Adelaide. Not only was she there, she’s posting about it on her own social media.
This isn’t a matter of privacy, Paul. I think you need to understand that.
And don’t have a crack at the media when one of your own players is fully out there on her own social media.
Social media was starting to become prevalent towards the end of my career. The one thing they always said in the education sessions was: ‘Do not post anything on your social media that you aren’t happy for to be front page of the paper’.
If you are happy to put it on your Instagram, you’re happy to be on the front page of The Advertiser.
So don’t come for us when we report on an issue that an Adelaide player doesn’t want to be vaccinated. Don’t call for privacy when she’s put it out there on their own social media.
In relation to the Richmond player, unfortunately AFL and AFLW players are held to different standards in terms of medical.
We know Matt Crouch has just had groin surgery. If I had groin surgery, nobody would care.
But because it’s affecting the club and your players and someone’s going to be missing for months, then that’s reported to the fans who deserve to know.
Equally, if someone gets coronavirus in Round 3 and teammates have to isolate because of that, the fans are going to have to know about that.
So let’s be a bit more mature from the AFL and AFLW players, through the competitions and down to the clubs about what the game is facing.
Yes it’s a challenge, but if someone gets Covid, it’s fine for their name to be out there. We’ve seen it all across sport and the community.
We need a new mindset and a new maturity about this.
And don’t ask for privacy when a player is walking through the streets of Adelaide posting it on their own social media.
Paul, what are we going to say to Crows fans if Rory Sloane gets Covid in Round 3 and he’s been doing a weights session with a bunch of teammates who now can’t train on Thursday and are in doubt for Saturday?
Are we just going to lie?
I understand it’s sensitive, I know it’s a new era, I know there’s never been a challenge like this.
Nobody cares, just tell us who has Covid, they’ll recover, they’ll do the right thing. It’s going to be impossible to hide that situation.
But don’t have a crack at the media for reporting on what are going to be big stories throughout the year.