Eddie McGuire labelled an ‘intellectual pygmy’ by Swans boss as academy war heats up

THERE’S a massive fight brewing in the AFL and one of Eddie McGuire’s most bitter rivals has already landed a savage shot.

Eddie McGuire’s personal battle with the Sydney Swans continues.

THERE’S a massive fight brewing in the AFL and one of Eddie McGuire’s most bitter rivals has already landed a savage shot.

The Collingwood boss was labelled an “intellectual pygmy” by Sydney Swans president Andrew Pridham as the battle over the talented youngsters northern state clubs have access to heats up.

Fears about the growing strength of Greater Western Sydney went into overdrive after the Giants smashed premiers Hawthorn by 75 points last Saturday. The thumping sparked talk from McGuire that the talent-stacked Giants list was overcooked and the AFL needed to make an adjustment.

There are growing fears among some clubs the Giants — who, along with Gold Coast, received a large number of early draft picks to help set up their clubs — are going to become unbeatable because of the exclusive access they have to junior players from the Riverina footy heartland in southwest NSW.

The Herald Sun revealed the AFL is set to review the controversial Giants academy system which angry clubs believe will bulletproof their list for the next decade and deliver the booming club another five top-30 talents this year.

A frustrated GWS chairman Tony Shepherd threatened to quit his post in response, describing moves to challenge the Giants exclusive hold on talent from the Riverina area as “rubbish”.

“If you didn’t want the expansion, then why’d you go ahead and do it?” Shepherd told 3AW.

“I can’t stand this constant changing of the rules. It just drives me nuts. We have to apologise every time we win a bloody game. I’ve had enough.”

Asked whether he would consider quitting over the matter, Shepherd said: “Absolutely.”

The GWS Giants big power forwards Jonathon Patton, Rory Lobb and Jeremy Cameron.

McGuire added further fuel to the fire on Triple M on Thursday morning, responding to Shepherd’s threat by saying “We will miss Tony.”

McGuire said GWS’s talent stockpile was “getting out of kilter and now is the time to make adjustments before it goes too far”.

But the Swans have united with their instate rival to ward off the attacks — and Pridham personally hit out at McGuire, who he has battled with over other issues in recent years.

Just heard @triplemfooty audio from today re @sydneyswans and @GWSGIANTS. Typical rubbish from intellectual pygmies. Not a truth in sight.

— Andrew Pridham (@Pridhamhq) May 4, 2016

Unsubstantiated statements. Eddie keeps saying @sydneyswans voted against introduction of @GWSGIANTS. Incorrect. https://t.co/T3pgGsV7YF

— Andrew Pridham (@Pridhamhq) May 4, 2016

The Giants have priority access to players who come through the Riverina system at the AFL draft, even if they attend Melbourne boarding schools through their teenage years.

The club were also given early and additional draft picks in their initial seasons, while they still have extra salary cap allowance until 2019.

CAMERON: IT’S WATER OFF A DUCK’S BACK

GWS coach Leon Cameron has praised the AFL and dismissed McGuire’s criticism of the Giants’ academy entitlements, pointing out the issue only rears its head after a big win for his emerging AFL club.

“All these comments always come on the back of a win,” Cameron said.

“Same thing happened last year, the same thing happened the year before, it’s not on the back of a loss.

“We feel as though our club is heading in the right direction. We’ve got a long way to go, The people that work at this footy club work goddamn hard and I’m really proud of them.”

He described the comments as water off a duck’s back. “I can’t control anyone’s opinion outside our footy club, but one thing I will say is the AFL made a great adjustment last year on fair value in the bidding system in academies and you can’t get much fairer than that,” Cameron said.

“If Sydney and the Giants and the Lions and the Suns are producing more players into the AFL system via Queensland and via NSW it’s only a good thing.”

Cameron wasn’t buying into chatter GWS are a genuine premiership threat. “I think it’s quite funny some of the comments they are making, we’re 4-2, not 6-0, not 5-1,” Cameron said.

“We’ve won a couple in a row, but to become a good side you’ve got to keep on winning and at least turning up every week and we haven’t proven that yet.”

— with AAP