Time On: Nathan Brown forced to clarify vax stance after asking Ollie Wines question

Nathan Brown has been left shocked at the fallout after asking a “simple question” about Ollie Wines’ heart issue, saying he’s received a flood of both support and abuse.

Nathan Brown says he can’t see why the mature conversation on the Sunday Footy Show caused drama.

Time On is your Monday wrap up of all the footy gossip from the weekend.

Nathan Brown has moved to clarify his vaccination stance after an exchange that led to an apology from some members of the Sunday Footy Show.

Footy commentator Brown and journalist Damian Barrett were last week discussing the situation regarding Port Adelaide’s Brownlow winner Ollie Wines who had to withdraw from a match due to a heart issue.

It prompted Brown to ask, “Is there a lot of this going on in world sport? A lot of athletes have got these issues?”

“Are you referring to the booster shots and the contracting of Covid?” Barrett said.

Brown replied, “That’s obviously the word going around.”

The panel then stated they were not “anti-vaxxers” with Port Adelaide quickly calling in to say that Wines’ condition was not linked to the booster, which was mentioned by Barrett afterwards during the show.

Ollie Wines has missed games due to a heart issue. Picture: Getty

The exchange prompted Footy Classified host Sam McClure to say he felt uncomfortable watching it. Fellow panel members Matthew Lloyd, who has recently battled Bell’s Palsy, and Kane Cornes, who are also on the Sunday Footy Show, apologised for the statements and the perceived linking of the circumstances.

Brown said he was no poster boy for anti-vaxxers and couldn’t see why the mature conversation caused an issue.

“All I did was ask a simple question … and I asked is there any link to everything that’s going on in the world with Ollie Wines at the moment,” Brown told Triple M’s Friday Huddle. “We’re hearing a lot of heart issues around the world, is there any link? And Damo said not that I know of. And that was my question.

“As a result of that question I’ve had a lot of text messages and emails and (people) hit me up on social media saying thank you for raising awareness to our plight so all of a sudden I’m an ambassador for the anti-vaxxing community. I’m double vaxxed myself. Caro (Caroline Wilson) thought it was irresponsible, my comments that weren’t comments. It was a question and Sam McClure said he felt uncomfortable.

“There were a few people who asked if I was going to retract my comments, it was a question, any conversation that most people have at their dinner tables at the moment and I asked Damo a question and that was it. I don’t know why Sam was uncomfortable. I got a lot of support and (abuse), both ways.”

Mason Cox of the Magpies training in his prescription sunglasses. Picture: Michael Klein

Lethal updated on new look

Collingwood big man Mason Cox has been wearing specially approved prescription sunglasses after suffering a serious eye injury but it was news to the great Leigh Matthews.

After Cox dropped several marks during the match against the Lions at the Gabba on Thursday night Matthews commented: “If they were for sale no one would be buying them.”

Fellow Channel 7 commentator Hamish McLachlan politely set the record straight: “It’s a protective measure, he had a knock to the eye.”

Matthews then sheepishly said: “Ok, understand.”

Warnie track salute

A horse part-owned by Shane Warne and a raft of footballers won its maiden career race on the Gold Coast on Saturday.

Sacred Oath, with jockey Noel Callow aboard, easily won the 1200m race with Callow rolling his arm over at the finish line in a moving gesture to Warne.

Warne’s son Jackson was touched by the tribute, as was another part-owner, former Hawk and Suns defender Campbell Brown.

“Very sentimental win that,’’ Brown tweeted.

Very sentimental win that. Well done David to get the horse back in such good order after last starts incident. Great ride King and Lovely delivery. Hope u enjoyed that SK https://t.co/HJq49Nzpyu

— Campbell brown (@Browndogg_30x) April 16, 2022

The colt recovered from a fall in Ipswich last month.

It’s believed some of the 20 owners are Freo players including Joel Hamling, Blake Acres and Michael Walters.

Ants the secret to Duck’s success

Regarded by many as the game’s greatest player, Wayne Carey says his skill was developed as a kid with an unusual practice.

Carey’s ‘ant dodging’ tactic was revealed by Billy Brownless who spilt Carey’s secret from a sportsman’s night they shared together. The host was John Rombotis.

“Rombo goes: Duck, you’re a very skilful player how did you learn that?” Brownless recounted on Triple M’s Saturday Rub.

“(You said) when I was five or six in Wagga, he used to grab the footy, go down to an ant hill and he’d bounce the footy and the ants would all run out of the ant hill and he’d have to dodge them.

“I’m sitting there thinking what a load of bullshit!”

Through a chorus of laughter, Carey confirmed the story:

“Sorry if there’s any cruelty to ants. I’d draw a line around the ant hill and you’d stir them up and all the ants come flying out and if they got over the line they were safe.”