Matthew Richardson calls out Daisy Pearce AFL media ban as ‘over the top’ double standards

An AFL great has leapt to the defence of Daisy Pearce after clubs banned her from their changerooms, labelling it as ‘over the top’.

Daisy Pearce has been banned from two club’s post-match rooms. Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

AFL great Matthew Richardson has called out what he considers to be “over the top” double standards by clubs banning Channel 7 commentator and Geelong assistant coach Daisy Pearce from their changerooms.

Richmond and Brisbane are two clubs to have expressed their unwillingness to have Pearce – who serves in a special comments role with the broadcaster on Thursday nights – in their changerooms before or after games.

But former Richmond forward Richardson can’t see the sense in the move, highlighting the likes of Mark Ricciuto (Adelaide football director), Luke Darcy (Western Bulldogs football director) and Jimmy Bartel (Greater Western Sydney board member) as three examples of those serving in dual roles without being excluded by clubs.

“There’s always been people with dual roles in this business,” Richardson said.

“Whether you think it’s right or not, but there’s been plenty of media performers over the years that have also had roles at footy clubs. There’s plenty doing it now as we speak.”

Matthew Richardson (right) has labelled the media bans as over the top. Picture by Michael Klein

Richardson hosts a podcast at Richmond and said “I could walk down into the football department, which I don’t do” if he garnered information from other clubs. He said the thought “never enters your mind”.

“I’m sure Luke Darcy could do that (too),” he said on 3AW.

“I don’t see why Daisy has been singled out here. I think it’s a bit over the top.”

An Australian Football Hall of Fame member, Richardson has worked in the media for more than a decade since retiring at the end of 2009 after 282 games at Richmond.

During that time, he said he “can’t possibly see how you could be finding out anything that could possibly help the footy club that you may work for during that week”.

“We’re generally down the other end of the rooms, you’re at a desk, you’re getting a couple of players up to have a nice, Dorothy Dixer-type interview about how good the night was.

“You’re in the winning rooms so it’s all about positivity and what’s happened out on the ground and having a bit of fun with the players as well, and they show their personality.

“As the host broadcaster, we are going nowhere near the coaches’ room, where there may be stuff written up on the wall, information that you don’t want to get out.

“Everyone’s just having a good chat about the game. I just don’t see how anyone working in the media could be in there gathering information for the club they work for as well.”

Originally published as Matthew Richardson calls out Daisy Pearce AFL media ban as ‘over the top’ double standards