Ugly Brisbane ‘crybaby’ sledge to Harry Petty reignites Demons feud

Noah Answerth mocks Harry Petty for crying.

The simmering feud between Brisbane and Melbourne players has been reignited after an ugly act by Lion Noah Answerth.

The simmering feud between Brisbane and Melbourne players has reignited after an ugly act by Lion Noah Answerth towards Demon Harry Petty.

The two now-perennial contenders have continued to play out dramatic games but Answerth’s act on Thursday night will see the personal issues between the sides return to the fore.

After Petty missed a shot on goal in the fourth quarter, his first disposal of the game, Answerth pretended to cry, rubbing his eyes to mock Petty during Brisbane’s 12.10 (82) to 8.12 (60) win.

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Petty was left in tears in late 2022 after a sledge by then-Brisbane captain Dayne Zorko against the tall, believed to be regarding a personal matter.

Zorko apologised at the time saying he was “remorseful” but that the incident “wasn’t unprovoked” as the teams traded barbs throughout the match, including some ugly comments aimed at Zorko.

You can watch the incident in the video above

Noah Answerth mocks Harry Petty for crying.

“You’ve got to understand, everyone, that he was responding to some verbal jibes from the Melbourne Football Club,” the Herald Sun’s Mark Robinson explained at the time on Fox Footy’s AFL 360.

“Now I’m not going to repeat them here either … about his personal life, about his family. About his wife.”

The moment was spotted by commentators during the game.

“Is this Answerth, with the history that’s gone on between these guys … crybaby?” commentator Brian Taylor asked.

“Players don’t forget, do they?”

Zorko apologised for the initial sledge regarding Petty’s mother in 2022, said he needed to be a better leader. The Demons had sledged Zorko too that night. Then Linc McCarthy mocked Petty for his tears late in 2022. Now Answerth. Why drag yourself into it with the win sealed? https://t.co/beBhIYUGSl

— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) April 11, 2024

Yeah, this isn’t great from Answerth. Zero need for it. #AFLDeesLionspic.twitter.com/eLPJ5VehUI

— Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) April 11, 2024

This is a terrible look from Answerth. I bet there’s a lot of people at the Lions who are nooooot gonna be happy they have to talk about all this crap again. It was dead and buried. Dragging it up is dumb! #AFLpic.twitter.com/xuTUX0P0ub

— Mark Gottlieb (@MarkGottlieb) April 11, 2024

On Thursday night Zorko was told of Answerth’s behaviour and was not a fan.

“I’ll probably go have a word with him. That’s not the way we want to win,” the Lions veteran said on ABC radio.

This is the second time the Lions have mocked Petty over his tears.

During the sides’ 2022 semi-final, Lions forward Lincoln McCarthy similarly pretended to cry while he and Petty were battling it out.

“I didn’t see but I’d be pretty disappointed if that was the case,” Demons coach Simon Goodwin said at the time.

Originally published as Ugly Brisbane ‘crybaby’ sledge to Harry Petty reignites Demons feud