Reel Talk star and ex-Adelaide Crows star Ned McHenry offers TV fishing trip to boys in West Lakes meltdown video
The former footy star turned fishing show host was among many with strong reactions to the video showing a group of raging adults shouting at children for fishing.
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A former AFL star turned fishing show host has slammed the adults who were caught on camera reacting angrily to a group of teenagers for fishing in West Lakes – and invited the kids to join his fishing show.
Reel Talk star and ex-Adelaide Crow Ned McHenry said he could not hide his outrage after watching the viral clip of a group of adults surrounding and berating young anglers fishing off Delfin Island at West Lakes.
“I saw all the videos on social media and I just couldn’t quite believe what I was seeing,” Mr McHenry told The Advertiser on Wednesday.
“The reaction of some of those disgruntled adults was pretty disappointing … the way they communicated and they way they treated those children was completely out of line.”
Mr McHenry said the behaviour of the “so-called adults” was especially disproportionate when children could be playing inside on their PlayStations instead.
“When you see kids outside, doing these kinds of activities like fishing or riding a bike, I think we should be encouraging that and celebrating that more than going nuts,” he said.
Speaking as a TV show host, Mr McHenry also extended an invitation to the teenagers to join him for a fishing trip “wherever they want”.
“I would love to get them on the show and I’d like to take them all out for a fish,” he said.
“We can go wherever they want, if they want to catch tuna with me offshore in the boat, I’d be happy to do that.”
His offer comes in the wake of widespread controversy over the viral video that appeared to show a group of adults angry over damage to wildlife at West Lakes upset at young boys with fishing rods.
The incident escalated as the adults demand the boys leave the public area, with some appearing to push the children and throw their gear.
A man in the clips can be heard swearing at the boys saying, “the police is on their way”.
The boys appear to leave the area but some of the adults involved have since apologised for their behaviour amid a public outcry.
One of the women filmed, who spoke to The Advertiser on the condition of anonymity, said frustrations had boiled over after a series of incidents in the area. She did not say the incidents were linked to the boys in the video.
“Look, really, I don’t know … I really don’t know because there are lots of kids,” she said.
“In hindsight, I think everybody is feeling very embarrassed about the behaviour.
“I guess we’re all human and we all make mistakes and we can all get revved up but in any case, as adults, we were expected to show a better way of managing issues.
“We’re all very sorry that this has come to this.”
An SA Police spokesman has confirmed officers were called to the scene on and instructed all involved to move on without any arrests or charges.
A spokesman for Charles Sturt council said fishing was permitted in the pond.
Local MP and Urban Development Minister Stephen Mullighan told morning radio the council was going to “take a fresh look at the long-standing by-law and whether it needs to be changed”.
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