With more and more ex-AFL stars hitting out TV screens, radio dials and newspapers the lengths that some people in the football community will go to protect a mate. Not only AFL footballers but Journalists seem to be able to now pick and choose what stories go to print with consideration of friendships and allegiances placed before that of breaking the exclusive.

It was only the other night I found myself glued to the television as host of EMT Tonight (Fox Footy, Foxtel) Eddie Maguire gave Melbourne young gun Liam Jurrah a chance to tell his side of the story, in his home, alongside his mother and Grandmother who are currently supporting him through his pending court proceedings. As a football community we know that Eddie Maguire has always been received as the man who can work around the red tape, on this occasion gathered the interview with Liam on the weekend with the club having no knowledge, needless to say the interview was harmless but it begs the question where is the line between allegiance and Journalism drawn.

With more and more people in football wearing more than one hat it is inevitable that at some stage players, administrators and reporters will be faced with a conflict of interest, it is how that situation is dealt with which is the key. For Eddie Maguire the Journo the Liam Jurrah interview with the exclusive piece on the developing story of the week, for Eddie Maguire Collingwood president the interview should have at least followed proper practice, in that the enquiry should have been made to the Melbourne media department in order to make the Demons aware of the interview taking place.

Kevin Bartlett, Host of Hungry for Sport on SEN, had Eddie on his show to give him the chance to better explain the situation and to deny the Conflict of interest of which Kevin has himself also being on the AFL Laws of the game committee. Bartlett hosts the mid morning show in which he takes many calls across the week regarding the AFL rules and circumstances on the weeks games, it seems delusion for someone who is on a rules committee to attack that committee so instead he supports the ruling 100% not giving in on anything. A bias view on just one aspect of football the former tigers captain and coach and Hall of Fame member is well rounded when it comes to his views on football, but he needs to see the other side of the fence when it comes to the rules of the game.

It is clear that the need to protect positions within football is becoming increasingly important, for many media commentators who hold various other positions with the League or its Clubs it is hard to draw the line between head and heart. For Eddie Maguire who has tackled being the Collingwood president and a major play in Melbourne football media for over 10 years he personally needs to find a way to combat the stigma attached to each one of his stories that he is soft on his own club and wont push a Collingwood story that would be seen to be desecrating his position.

The same goes for anyone in football, it’s exactly what needs to happen within the sport, some honesty around stories that are put to air about a friend, a mate or even a supported team. Honesty has been thrown out the window in football media in the last 2-3 years and needs to make its way back in order to make sure that fans and supporters of the game are getting the full story not just the slice the Journalist wants you to know.

DB

Image courtesy of Herald Sun