‘Arrogant, humiliating’: Caro slams Swans captain for ‘juvenile’ act

A Sydney Swans star has come under fire for taunting a struggling rival with an act that’ss been labelled “arrogant” and “juvenile”.

Caroline Wilson has slammed Luke Parker.

Sydney Swans co-captain Luke Parker’s taunting of Essendon midfielder Dylan Shiel has been slammed as “juvenile” and “nasty”, as debate continues to rage over the incident.

After Shiel lost control of the ball in the second quarter of the Bombers’ clash with the Swans on Saturday, Parker pounced on the footy before kicking a long-range goal.

As the Sydney crowd at the SCG erupted, Parker appeared to mock the struggling Shiel by repeatedly shrugging his shoulders, suggesting Shiel’s attack on the Sherrin was weak.

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“We don’t often see this, but I like it,” Nick Riewoldt said in commentary on Fox Footy.

“I would much rather see that combative nature between players on the field than the love-in we see at times.”

But Parker has come under fire from veteran footy journalist Caroline Wilson, who described his taunt as “arrogant” and “un-Swans like”.

Wilson told The Age’s Real Footy podcast: “I understand that they (Essendon) should’ve supported their teammate but what’s going on with Luke Parker?

“I thought that was the most arrogant, un-Swans like, nasty behaviour that will come back and bite him – I really didn’t like that at all,”

“He kept doing it, he did it four or five times. That’s not the ‘Bloods culture’. I bet you John Longmire absolutely flinched when he saw that – I didn’t like it.

“You just don’t want to see that type of stuff creeping into a game from your captain. What he did was kick a man when he was down in the most arrogant, humiliating way – did not like it.”

“Sydney’s my second team, I just admire so much with what they’ve done over three decades and what a great club they’ve become,” Wilson added.

“Every time he (Parker) did it I thought, ‘What are you doing, you’re just being juvenile, nasty and a bit of a bully’.

“It’s all good theatre but that was my reaction to it.”

Luke Parker mocks Dylan Shiel in the Swans’ win over the Bombers on Saturday night at the SCG. Photo: Fox Sports.

But Hawthorn premiership player Campbell Brown was not impressed with Wilson’s comments, posting to Twitter: “This is one of the worst takes I’ve ever heard in football. Parker is a 2 time Robert Rose winner for the most courageous player in the comp. He can question any player he wants too. It’s called mental disintegration, it’s meant to be humiliating and nasty.”

Essendon great Matthew Lloyd was furious Shiel’s teammates didn’t retaliate in some form to Parker’s actions, which he said were a blatant example of disrespect.

“I would’ve ploughed straight through Parker here, got him to the ground and said, ‘You will never, ever treat me like that again’,” Lloyd said on the Sunday Footy Show.

“I’d cannon into him. If you don’t give away a free kick, even better.”

Appearing on Fox Footy’s On The Couch on Monday night, Essendon captain Dyson Heppell said he was yet to address the moment with his teammates and claimed it was the first time he’d seen the taunt when he was shown it on the program.

“I had no idea it was happening in the moment,” he said.

“I hadn’t even seen the vision, that’s the first time. I have no doubt teammates would go over to support.

“Absolutely we support our teammates if the moment’s there and the moment’s right.

“Our brand and our identity wants to be we are playing in the rules, but are playing hard and tough.”

Dylan Shiel and the Bombers have struggled this season. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Kane Cornes said Heppell’s comment about not being aware of Parker’s widely-seen jest was “bemusing” — almost 48 hours after the Bombers’ loss to the Swans on Saturday.

“I find it amazing that the captain of the Essendon football club on Monday night hasn’t seen that vision,” Cornes said on Footy Classified.

“Even if he’s not on social media and he doesn’t read the papers, there’s a media manager there whose job it is to brief the players.”

Cornes went on to say: “He’s going on a live TV interview on a Monday night and he hasn’t seen the vision. I find that unbelievable. Maybe that’s a reflection on the whole club and how they are run.

“Dylan Shiel is the most under-fire player in the comp right now. And the captain of the footy club hasn’t picked up the phone to ring Dylan Shiel.

“I found that unbelievable.”

The Swans thrashed the Bombers, who managed just 158 disposals and kicked a measly two goals in the second half as they suffered a heavy 14.21 (105) to 6.11 (47) defeat.