Malthouse: Goodes booing crowd should be “ashamed”

Coaching great Mick Malthouse says he hopes Adam Goodes will return to the AFL, but concedes the booing which ended his career left a “massive scar”.

Mick Malthouse says those who booed Adam Goodes should be ashamed.

Hall of Fame inductee Mick Malthouse says those who booed Adam Goodes out of the game in 2015 should be “ashamed” of themselves.

As the AFL and its clubs made an unreserved apology on Friday for not "standing with" the former Sydney champion when he faced a barrage of boo in the latter stages of his career, Malthouse said he hoped Goodes would one day feel comfortable enough to resume a role in the game.

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“There is a certain group out there who should be ashamed of themselves with Adam Goodes,” Malthouse told the Sunday Herald Sun.

“He was my captain in Ireland (when Malthouse was Australia coach) and we had a wonderful time over there.

“Anyone who booed that man should be ashamed … it was a horrid thing.”

Mick Malthouse says those who booed Adam Goodes should be ashamed.

A nationwide release of two powerful documentaries on the widespread booing that brought an end to Goodes' playing career has put the focus back on racial tolerance in the game, with Malthouse hoping this can heal — in part — some of the dual Brownlow Medal winner's wounds.

“We hope he will come back to the game, but there will always be a massive scar there,” Malthouse said.

“I just hope he does (return to the game).”

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AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan has conceded the AFL failed to identify the booing as racist and admitted it also neglected to protect Goodes from the abuse.

“There was a failure across the board and we and I certainly take our share of responsibility for that,” McLachlan said on 3AW.

Geelong coach Chris Scott said the booing of Cats star Gary Ablett — evidenced again on Friday night — was very different to what happened with Goodes.

“It is completely separate to the Adam Goodes situation which is a stain on our football history,” Scott said.