Plot thickens as full extent of AFL clubs' feud emerges

Perth Now

6 days ago

The feud that has emerged between St Kilda and Gold Coast since their AFL clash on Sunday has origins, at least from the Saints' camp, that date back months.
Asked about the prospect of coming up against the finals-bound Suns on Sunday, St Kilda coach Ross Lyon called them 'the AFL's nepo baby', and said they would be a 'formidable' opponent.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: AFL set to bring in draft changes amid St Kilda furore.
Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick bit back in his post-match press conference, suggesting the Saints worry about their own backyard before commenting on other clubs.
He was followed by Suns CEO Mark Evans, who spoke to SEN on Monday, calling Lyon's words 'offensive and out of order'.
On Monday night's episode of The Agenda Setters, Caroline Wilson revealed 'there are several levels' to St Kilda's gripe with the Suns.
'And it's not just the 'nepo baby' fact that Gold Coast get a lot of early picks through their academy that has riled the Saints in recent weeks,' Wilson said.
'They think that Damien Hardwick should have been picked up on by the AFL for comments about his player, Matt Rowell, recently.'
Stream full episodes of The Agenda Setters for free, live or on-demand, at 7plus St Kilda coach Ross Lyon's 'nepo baby' comment has stirred up a hornets' nest at the Gold Coast. Credit: AAP
In a post-match presser on May 4, Hardwick said Rowell 'doesn't get enough protection for a ball-player'.
'Players — I'm not saying tonight, but I'm saying consistently — they target him; they hold him, they scrap, and all that sort of stuff, so he needs some help,' he said at the time.
But there is still more to St Kilda's pointed move, Wilson says.
'So, on one level, the Saints can't believe that so many coaches, particularly Damien Hardwick, are getting away with baiting the umpires about protected players, etc,' she added.
'But during the off-season, and this was a high-level strategic push by a football club that has won one premiership in 150 years, and whose mantra has been 'strength through loyalty'.
'It was led by (St Kilda CEO) Carl Dilena, who also worked on the re-branding of the North Melbourne Football Club, which led to the re-branding of the shinboners spirit some years ago.
'There were focus groups, the board was consulted, supporters were consulted, and the findings were, St Kilda decided — very strongly led by Andrew Basat and Ross Lyon, driven by them really — they needed to be tougher, they needed to be bolder, they needed to have a crack at the opposition when it was warranted, and they needed to be unapologetic about that.
'It began at the best and fairest when Andrew Basat had a crack at Brisbane. I think if he had his time again, he would have been less strong at Brisbane, the reigning premier.
'But he was strong on father-sons, strong on academy picks, and the advantages other clubs are getting.
'Andrew Basat, as we know, has doubled down on several occasions this year, and Ross Lyon hasn't just had a go at nepo babies — but he's had a go at other coaches.'
On March 14 before their Round 1 clash with Adelaide, Lyon put the heat on Crows coach Matthew Nicks, who has yet to take his side to finals, six years into the job.
Then again on May 18, Lyon suggested first-year West Coast coach Andrew McQualter, who played under Lyon in his first iteration as St Kilda coach, was walking into a 'hot bed' coaching the Eagles in Perth.