Mark Robinson: Breast grope, kill bitches and the AFL image machine

The actions of Dustin Martin and Jess Hosking were both poor looks for the AFL. But only one of them was made an example of and made to grovel.

Are the rules different for Dustin Martin? Picture: Getty Images

It’s a funny world we all navigate.

What’s right and wrong, what’s image or real, who complains and why?

In the AFL, Dustin Martin has mostly always let his football do the talking.

He doesn’t talk to print media, he doesn’t do radio interviews, this season he gave away on-ground TV sound bites, and the Tigers would probably love Martin to do more publicity for the club.

He is a footballer, and that’s been the customary refrain from the Tigers: It’s just the way he is.

Except, of course, when he’s flogging jocks or books, or whatever else he puts his name to.

Then, someone writes a bunch of cliche-rich copy, puts his name to the quotes, and bingo, there’s your Dusty story.

But it seems not even the AFL can do that with Dusty. Last week, colleague Jon Ralph revealed Martin had escaped punishment for touching a topless woman on the breast at an end-of-season drink in 2015.

Nothing to see here, said the AFL, although AFL boss Gillon McLachlan did call it a poor look when the video surfaced in early September. Nothing from Dusty, mind you.

Not a single contrived quote from a champion of the game and a hero to tens of thousands of kids.

Stills from a video circulating that appears to show Dustin Martin groping a partially naked women. Picture: Supplied

Stills from a video circulating that appears to show Dustin Martin groping a partially naked women. Picture: Supplied

Not a cracker. Two days after the Martin story was made public, Richmond’s AFLW player Jess Hosking was publicly shamed by the AFL for having “kill bitches’’ written on her shoulder tape, which she wore into the final against North Melbourne.

Kids in Year 8 write worse things on a plaster cast for a mate’s broken arm.

Nevermind, the Tigers were issued with a “please explain” from the AFL.

The league called it an “inappropriate message”, and Hosking and the Tigers received an official warning.

In a further public hammering, Hosking wrote a letter of apology to the AFL, a move the AFL was inclined to share with the footy world.

“Hosking was extremely remorseful and deeply disappointed in her actions,” the AFL said in a statement.

Hosking was let down by footy, or the self-righteous image police controlling footy.

From day one of the AFLW competition, Jess and her sister Sarah have been a part of the pin-up brigade, not at Dusty’s level mind you, but if you follow AFLW you know the Hosking girls.

Richmonds Jess Hosking with her shoulder strapping . Picture by Michael Klein

They have promoted the bejesus out of the sport, yet the AFL deemed it necessary to make an example of Jess, to make her grovel.

Kill bitches? And that demanded an “extremely remorseful’’ and “deeply disappointed’’ response.

What did she do, actually kill someone?

Meanwhile, Dusty gropes away and there’s nothing from the AFL, not even a bulldust comment from Martin, saying he apologises for his actions and, hey, kids, don’t do what I do.

When it comes to image damage, who knows exactly what punishment fits the crime.

Both were poor looks for the sport, but only one of them, Jess Hosking, was publicly held to account.

Originally published as Mark Robinson: Breast grope, kill bitches and the AFL image machine