Mick Malthouse speaks about childhood friend and former St Kilda teammate Robbie Muir in wake of racism revelations

Among the shocking racist abuse former Saint Robbie Muir was subjected to, he says he hated the nickname ‘Mad Dog’, but childhood friend and coaching legend Mick Malthouse says his former teammate relished the nickname.

Mick Malthouse says former teammate Robbie Muir relished his ‘Mad Dog’ nickname.

Football great Mick Malthouse says he can recall “vile” comments directed at former St Kilda teammate Robert Muir, but believes the “Mad Dog” nickname was one his childhood friend “was quite happy with”.

Muir last week detailed his scars from widespread racial abuse during his playing days, including the nickname he said he hated, and claimed quickly took on “terrible” racial tones.

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Muir was extremely talented, but suffered terrible racism throughout his playing career and life.

The nickname was given to Muir by Saints great Kevin “Cowboy” Neale, after the more senior teammate had seen the athletic Muir tear around the training track “like a sheep dog”.

Malthouse and Muir grew up together in Ballarat. They boarded together in Melbourne and played a little over two seasons together at St Kilda.

But three-time premiership coach Malthouse said while he never personally referred to Muir by the nickname, he believed it was one his friend had relished.

“I never knew him as that. It was just ‘Robbie’,” Malthouse said.

“But he picked up this nickname and I think Robbie tended to try to live it, live that name. And that’s a shame, because that really wrecked his ability to say, ‘I was a good footballer’, because he was a very good footballer.

“We probably never saw the best of him, because we weren’t allowed to see the best of him. By living up to a reputation, you’re going to get nailed all the time by the tribunal.”

Malthouse played with Muir at St Kilda.

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Malthouse said he was unaware of other St Kilda players referring to Muir as “Mad Dog”, but believed in some ways the nickname had helped Muir’s career.

“You don’t stop and say, ‘Mad Dog, Mad Dog’ for a handpass. It was, ‘Rob, Rob, Robbie’,” Malthouse said on ABC radio.

“I think he was quite happy with that name and I question that he questioned it, because it served him well to get recognised.

“He never said to me ever that he was upset by the nickname, because we didn’t discuss it. He may well have been, but we never discussed it because it wasn’t something to discuss.”

Malthouse said Muir had an “enormous amount of ability”, but his career ended after 68 games with the Saints and he has since been left on the outer by his former club and the wider football industry.

“I think Robbie felt that he was let down by a lot of people and never recovered into a frame of, ‘I’ll go and get a job and I’ll live a life away from football’,” Malthouse said.

“He went all over the place following the game, because he loved the game.”

Mick Malthouse says former teammate Robbie Muir relished his ‘Mad Dog’ nickname.

Originally published as Mick Malthouse speaks about childhood friend and former St Kilda teammate Robbie Muir in wake of racism revelations