Controversial star Jason Akermanis says stellar Grand Final saved him from being sacked after Nigel Lappin revelation
Controversial star Jason Akermanis claims Leigh Matthews wanted him out after he let slip some crucial information leading into the 2003 Grand Final. And it took an insane effort to save his bacon.
AFL News
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Jason Akermanis says his five-goal Grand Final performance against Collingwood in 2003 saved him from a sensational trade in the wake of his revelation teammate Nigel Lappin had broken ribs.
Akermanis says a furious Leigh Matthews told football boss Graeme Allan that the controversial star needed to be turfed from the club, only a relent when the club won a third consecutive flag.
The Lions Brownlow Medallist would eventually be kicked out of the club three years later in 2006, with Matthews describing him as a “consultant”.
But Akermanis told the Herald Sun’s Sacked podcast his papers were stamped after he admitted to the media Lappin was carrying a rib injury during Grand Final week.
Relive classic AFL matches from the 60s to today on KAYO SPORTS. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
It forced Matthews to put him through a gruelling fitness test before the Grand Final, with Lappin eventually playing despite two broken ribs and a punctured lung.
“Leigh was so filthy and when he gets mad it is not a pretty sight,” Akermanis said.
“He had really said, “He’s gone, even though it has never been confirmed, he has never denied it, he said to “Gubby” Allen, “When this is over, you trade him, you get rid of him’’. over what I said about Nigel Lappin’s ribs. I thought it was pretty logical that Shaun Hart kneed him in that great win in the preliminary final in Sydney against Sydney.
“The problem was saying that really turned out really bad for Nige because Leigh made him have that tackling practice with the worst guy in the world, Aaron Shattock, who ended up being the emergency. He ends up with a punctured lung, and Nige plays with that many vials of anaesthetic, it wouldn’t be legal today.”
Akermanis kicked 5.2 against a Collingwood side that failed to test Lappin and while he was a Norm Smith contender Simon Black’s superb performance won him the medal.
Did it save Akermanis’ bacon?
“Absolutely. I was gone. It wasn’t a well-kept secret. I was gone. I was delusional. I was like, “C’mon Leigh, why would you get rid of one of your star players, the guys who turn games. They are not the guys you get rid of.”
Akermanis told Sacked he believed the league’s decision to schedule the club’s 2004 preliminary final in Melbourne on a Saturday night was an “organised hit”.
MORE AFL NEWS:
Inside story of Michael Voss’ glittering career and 1996 Brownlow winning season
Jason Akermanis gives a unique perspective on mental health in the AFL
“The AFL cost us the fourth Grand final. You never see Leigh Matthews upset these days. He is a mild-mannered relaxed man, but you just mention Andrew Demetriou in 2004 and you will see a man change like that into a filthy animal, and so he should be, and so are we as players because that was an orchestrated hit against the club. Absolutely, absolutely,” he said.
“Andrew Demetriou was phone-called from Leigh and he said, “Are you serious, you are manipulating the rules to make sure we don’t win four”. You had Mark “Bomber” Thompson saying it is not healthy for the competition for Brisbane to win four.
“You had this Melbourne mafia mentality saying this shouldn’t happen. Even though Hawthorn and Geelong pretty much nearly done the same thing, you don’t see anyone saying it is not healthy if they win four, they are good teams, they can win four.”
The league has always claimed it needed to schedule an MCG final because of a ground contract, with Port Adelaide hosting the Friday night preliminary final at home as the minor premiers.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE HERALD SUN FOOTY PODCAST HERE