‘Awkward’ truth behind Stephen Silvagni’s snub of son Jack’s 100-game presentation

More details have come to light about Stephen Silvagni’s snub of son Jack’s footy milestone, including an “awkward” AFL truth.

Stephen Silvagni didn't attend Jack Silvagni's 100-game presentation.

More details have emerged about why Carlton legend Stephen Silvagni snubbed son Jack’s 100th game presentation.

Jack Silvagni opened the 2023 season playing his 100th game for Carlton in their draw against Richmond on Thursday night, taking a high-flying mark and kicking a goal.

Silvagni, coming off his first full year since 2017, has taken longer than most to reach the milestone, and naturally it would be a proud family moment, with father Stephen as well as grandfather Sergio both Carlton Hall of Famers.

Watch every match of every round of the 2023 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

The Silvagnis are synonymous with the Carlton Football Club, and the family have had a strong presence at Princes Park dating back to the early 1950s, with three generations of the family wearing the navy blue No. 1 jumper.

The family links are so strong at Carlton that Stephen Silvagni was the list manager who drafted Jack as a father-son selection in 2015, but Stephen was nowhere to be seen after the game.

Seven’s Mitch Cleary reported the 312-game fullback was invited into the Blues’ rooms after the game for the presentation of son Jack’s 100th game presentation in front of family and friends.

Jack Silvagni celebrated his 100th game milestone in Round 1. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

But eyebrows were raised across the league when Stephen didn’t accept the offer, with Jack’s brother Ben responding to Cleary’s tweeted saying: “Can confirm he was really tired and wanted to go home.”

Jack noted in his speech that father Stephen, now the list manager at St Kilda after a tumultuous exit from Carlton in 2019, wasn’t present and opted to stay in the car.

Now Channel 7 AFL reporter Tom Browne has provided more details around the situation, explaining Stephen paid for a box at the MCG for the whole family to watch the game and there is no rift whatsoever between him and Jack.

“No family’s closer in terms of Jack and SOS,” Browne told Triple M.

“They’re absolute beauties. I think SOS had breakfast with Jack this morning and had a late lunch with him yesterday.

“Jack knew that SOS wasn’t going to go to this particular presentation.

The Silvagni family in the Carlton dressing rooms after Jack Silvagni's 100th game for the club.

“SOS — that’s Stephen — hires a box and their grandma, SOS, and the kids, were all in the box watching Jack last night at the MCG.

“SOS does that at his own cost, so he’s watching the game, there’s no issues there.”

Browne pointed out Stephen was effectively pushed out the door by Carlton in 2019 and given his new role as list manager for rival club St Kilda, it would have been awkward for him to be back in the Blues’ rooms.

He left Carlton following a falling out with club management, with the club releasing a statement claiming that Silvagni’s position as list manager was a conflict of interest given his two sons were at the club.

“The simple truth is that Stephen is the list boss at St Kilda, their recruiting boss,” Browne said.

“He’s in charge of poaching players, and that includes Carlton players like (ruckman Tom) de Koning, and it would have been a bit awkward for him if he’d gone into that environment in that regard.

“And the other truth, and this is my personal opinion, is Carlton forced SOS out, the CEO at the time Cain Liddle did.

Stephen Silvagni was Carlton’s list manager until 2019. Picture: Michael Klein.

Silvagni (right) is now St Kilda’s list manager. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

“Is there some bad blood? I don’t know but there’s a lot of feeling there in terms of the way he left that still exists to some degree I imagine.

“The plain truth of it is he works for St Kilda, presumably gets paid good money by St Kilda, is in charge of recruiting players for St Kilda.

“There was no win for him going into the rooms. If he went in there he would have been the centre of attention. He didn’t and it created this discussion and I think that’s where it sits.”

Nonetheless, the move not to come into Carlton’s change rooms with Jack took many by surprise, with sports presenter Jim Wilson describing the snub as “disappointing and petulant”.

“Very ordinary from SOS,” he wrote.

SOS refers to Stephen’s nickname, “Son of Serge”.

“Didn’t realise it was other people’s business,” Ben Silvagni said on Twitter.

Responding to another social media user, Ben said “none of us (the family) had a problem with it.”

“I wouldn’t have thought he owes the club anything either,” he added.

The Herald Sun reported Carlton extended multiple invitations for Silvagni to come into the rooms.

Blues skipper Patrick Cripps said Silvagni would have been more than welcome and his role at St Kilda wouldn’t have been an issue at all.

“That’s not my area to comment on but I’m someone that would welcome anyone into the footy club in that moment,” Cripps said.

“That’s not my path to go down, I’ve got a high level of respect for SOS he did a great job for our footy club, people are going to have an opinion on that but as long as the family is happy it doesn’t really matter, does it,” he said.