Abuse of Jarman Impey led to Port Adelaide Power defender Hamish Hartlett quitting social media outlet Twitter
HAMISH Hartlett’s decision to leave Twitter had nothing to do with comments directed at him — and everything about the abuse hurled at a teammate after a pre-season indiscretion.
PORT Adelaide half back Hamish Hartlett has revealed it was vitriol directed towards teammate Jarman Impey that led him to quit Twitter.
Impey had copped a torrent of abuse pre-season after he crashed into four parked cars, before leaving the scene in an incident for which he was later fined by the courts.
But the harsh Twitter reaction made Hartlett furious and he decided that rather than to bite back, he would walk away from the social media outlet.
“I’m happy to laugh at my own expense, that’s no worries,” Hartlett said on Triple M this morning.
“But there’s a lot of negative criticism and people just saying things out of the blue about you as a person and as a football player that subconsciously can wear you down after a while.
“As much as we say it doesn’t affect us and that you don’t worry about that sort of stuff, I think deep down it can get to you after a little while.
“As a result I got rid of Twitter about six months ago.
“And that wasn’t even because I was abused or harassed or whatever.
“It was actually as a result of some comments that were made over Jarman Impey after his little pre-season indiscretion.
“Just what people were saying about him I just thought, ‘This is rubbish.’
“I’d love to be able to bite back and say what I really think but ...”
Six months on, he said the decision to disengage from the outlet had been a blessing.
His decision has also been backed by senior coach Ken Hinkley.
“I think it’s relieved a bit of stress and tension, for sure,” Hartlett said. “More and more people are starting to jump off, I think.”