Eddie McGuire’s apology for drowning ‘joke’ wasn’t good enough and neither was the AFL’s response

THERE'S so much wrong about the Eddie McGuire-James-Brayshaw-Danny Frawley pack mentality attack of Caroline Wilson. As was the AFL's insipid response on Monday.

THERE'S so much wrong about the Eddie McGuire-James-Brayshaw-Danny Frawley pack mentality attack of Caroline Wilson.

As was the AFL's insipid response on Monday.

Suspect that's what disappointed most people, the AFL had an opportunity to stake a flag in the ground and largely left the matter floating in the wind.

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan started strongly and finished meekly at his press conference on Monday and didn't even decently address the individuals involved.

It was big-picture stuff, basically the condemning of the perpetuation of acceptance of violence against women, but it could've been sterner and more revolutionary.

Instead, what we got was verbal bumf — we're angry, we won't stand for it, but we're not going to do anything about it.

RIVALS RESPOND: PRESIDENTS SLAM McGUIRE, BRAYSHAW

I’M SORRY: EDDIE McGUIRE STATEMENT

FULL TRANSCRIPT: GILLON McLACHLAN STATEMENT

What about withdrawing media accreditation for two weeks?

As much as coaches tell players they haven't earned the right to wear the jumper, the AFL could've been the champion of the situation and said they hadn't earned the right to cover the game.

Send a real message, not offer up symbolic words.

This is the problem with bullying. People talk about the problem, but not enough is done about the problem.

As usual, the AFL spoke about education and enlightenment and even McLachan said he was still learning.

That's fine and it's a strong message, but at what age do you learn that making public jokes about drowning a woman is unacceptable? 10? 20? 50?

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Eddie McGuire has not won himself any fans with this latest controversy. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Pity the AFL didn't take St Kilda's stance. It severely condemned Frawley on Monday — who is a Saints staffer — and will address him later this week. Punishment remains an option.

The Pies, too, censured their president.

“The very clear view of the board of Collingwood is that there is no place in our community for the support of violent behaviour or language, even in humour,” a club statement said.

It was a sensational smackdown from the board to the boss — the first time it's happened in McGuire's tenure.

That's news in itself and even though McGuire unquestionably helped write the statement, you have to wonder if it's the start of the end for McGuire.

It all started over what McGuire called banter and the larger community thought horrifying.

This wasn't a gender issue for me, or a major threat of violence against a woman.

This was about bullying.

It was wrong because Wilson wasn't there to defend herself against a pack of men led by an alpha male named Ed and cackling comrades who went along for the verbal kill.

It was wrong what McGuire said. His tone, his language, it wasn't banter or “good for football”. It was cringe-worthy and hostile.

It was wrong for Frawley to go the extra step and talk of holding Wilson under water. He's had his own issues with mental health, and the football world has rallied around him, and yet here he was helping to lead the bully campaign, which is one of the reasons why some of our youth have mental issues. It was poor from Spud and he knows that.

It was wrong nothing was said on the day to condemn the conversation or over the coming days.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan’s response wasn’t enough. Picture: Tim Carrafa

It was wrong that the AFL's head of female football and junior development at the AFL, Josh Vanderloo, on Saturday retweeted the podcast of @outersanctum01, which first discussed the McGuire-led barrage, yet McLachlan first heard of them about 4pm on Sunday.

Why no communication Mr Vanderloo and his superiors?

It was wrong of McGuire to sugar-coat his apology on Monday. He said sorry but tried to clarify, if not defend his comments.

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It seemed like one of those ''sorry, if I have offended you'' sorrys. You know, I didn't mean it like that, I'm a champion of women's causes, I'm mortified you took it that way.

McGuire had the same approach with his King Kong comments and Adam Goodes. He apologised and tried to explain context. The same with his comment about players living in the land of falafel in 2011. The same when he called Victorian sports minister John Eren a "soccer loving Turkish-born Mussie" in 2015.

It was wrong for McGuire to throw 3AW under the bus.

The 'good fun' attack on Caro Wilson by McGuire Brayshaw and Frawley was cringe-worthy, bullying and pathetic. More in the #tackle

— Mark Robinson (@Robbo_heraldsun) June 19, 2016

Tony Shaw and Dwayne Russell had Wilson in the studio when they ''joked'' about holding her under the water. And to say the two conversations were similar is laughable.

One had malice, the other was fun. Fair to say Shaw, who was in tears on Monday on 3AW, may never forgive McGuire.

Why does it get to this with Eddie McGuire?

He's a good person, Ed, enthusiastic, driven and confident, and does plenty that we know of and don't know of for friends, colleagues and various community and charitable causes.

So much so, that some people close to him think he needs to pull back for his own health and thinking.

You have to wonder, though, if this latest personal setback, followed by the condemnation of his own board, makes McGuire rethink after his recent rethink of his position at the club.

Clearly, others will be watching closely.