Leading AFL journalist Damian Barrett believes both Richmond and Brisbane were well within their rights to ban Channel Seven’s Daisy Pearce from their changerooms.
The decision to bar Pearce from entering the rooms by both clubs was made due to here other role as an assistant coach of Geelong, with the Tigers and Lions unwilling to let a coach of another club into their inner sanctum.
While other clubs have stated they have no issue with Pearce’s presence, Barrett went as far as to say that he’s surprised that any clubs let her enter given how protective clubs are of their IP.
“I have no problem with a club banning Daisy Pearce from any access to a changeroom,” Barrett said on The Sounding Board
“No issue, in fact, I’m surprised some clubs let her in on the back of her being an assistant coach in the Geelong Football Club operations, both AFL and AFLW.
“So I have no issue, not one percentage point of issue with Daisy Pearce being banned from opposition club rooms as part of her conflicted role as Channel Seven commentator - and a very good one at that.”
Barrett understands that the conflict of interest between Pearce’s two roles is simply too strong for some clubs to ignore and he believes the expert commentator can easily complete her duties from another part of the ground.
“I don’t think Channel Seven’s coverage is lacking for not having Daisy Pearce inside the rooms, she can still give her expert commentary not being in the rooms,” Barrett said.
“Daisy Pearce has made a decision like a lot of people before her to go down a dual path in footy and there’s a conflict in that.
“When you work for a club and the media, that’s a heightened conflict.”
When pressed by co-host Craig Hutchison whether clubs should ban all figures from opposition clubs, Barrett says if he was a club CEO, he’d also bar other influential figures that hold dual roles in clubland and media such as Western Bulldogs Director Luke Darcy and GWS Director Jimmy Bartel.
“(Clubs) are in the business of winning premierships, and intellectual IP is a big part of that,” Barrett said.
“I don’t think they (Luke Darcy and Jimmy Bartel) should be given access either.
“I don’t think he (Darcy) should be allowed, if I’m the CEO of that club in question and I know that it’s happening - a Director of another club is in my rooms, I’m saying, ‘Sorry mate, out’.
“I’d ban (Jimmy) Bartel, I’m mates with these people by the way.”
While Pearce has been banned from the Lions’ rooms, she is free to enter the Western Bulldogs’ rooms when the teams meet on Thursday night at Marvel Stadium.