Australian sporting great Andrew Gaze has admitted a level of discomfort with the scenes from the 2022 Brownlow Medal.
It was a rowdy room at Crown Casino, with AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan needing to ask the seemingly largely intoxicated crowd to quieten down multiple times to continue the count.
Cameras cut across the room all night, with players downing drinks on the regular, and the Olympic flag bearer feels it sent a poor message to a younger viewing audience.
“I understand that I’m at that demographic now where you can get a little oversensitive to stuff that’s not that significant. It’s the end of the season, I get it. Players are finished, they’ve worked their tails off for a long period of time, they need to be able to unwind and have a good time,” Gaze told SEN’s The Run Home.
“I just felt a little, and this is the dad in me, a little uncomfortable with the drinking, like it was some kind of game they were playing – ‘scull a beer when you get a vote and chuck the black glasses on’.
“What it does is it normalises behaviour that I think is not a good message for kids.
“We’re in school holidays and there’s a lot of kids watching it. Again, in the big scheme of things, I’m sure most of the people there were very well behaved, but it is still a look that is being presented by heroes (to kids).
“You hear Patrick Cripps talking about how he looked up to (Ben Cousins and Chris Judd on Brownlow night).
“To see some of those guys that young kids idolise sculling beers – they’re having a good time and I understand that … I just think if there was a way in which the players could enjoy themselves, and have a little in excess, but in front of the camera – drinking responsibly should be part of what they do.”
Carlton midfielder Patrick Cripps claimed the Brownlow Medal by a vote from Brisbane star Lachie Neale in a dramatic count.
Listen to the entire conversation with Gaze and co-host Andy Maher below