2003: To Rohan, Barass and Knightsy – I'm sorry
This opinion piece by The Age's late columnist Robert Walls was first published on May 23, 2003.
I let Western Bulldogs dasher Rohan Smith down last week. I regret what I did and wish I could turn back time, but that can't happen. With me as 'special comments' man with 3AW, we covered last Sunday's Carlton-Bulldogs game.
During the second quarter, Carlton forward Adrian Hickmott was forced to leave the field with blood trickling from his forehead. I didn't see what happened. Two people near me, who were not members of the commentary team, assured me that Rohan Smith had bitten Hickmott. They had watched replays of the pair rolling on the ground on a TV monitor. Irresponsibly, I said on air that 'there could have been a bite involved in Hickmott's leaving the field'. I didn't mention Smith's name, but I didn't have to for the finger to be pointed at him.
Two days after the game, the AFL held an investigation into why Hickmott left the field. The investigation didn't last long as it was obvious there was no case to answer.
That same morning Rohan rang me to express his disappointment at what I had said on radio. I'm glad he called as he had every right to. The bottom line for me is, learn a lesson, and that is, think before you speak and don't go on hearsay. I have apologised to Rohan and regret the pressure I put upon him.
Football, being a very public, competitive, emotional business, inevitably leads to some poor decisions being made and regrets do follow. Sometimes our greatest regrets are for things we didn't do.
I regret not belting Ian Stewart when he, after his first game as coach of Carlton, told me, the captain, that I hadn't tried. He'd been there two minutes, me 12 years. I'd bled for the navy Blues, he hadn't. That I didn't give him one still rankles.
I regret not playing 300 games. It is an achievement that less than one per cent of AFL players attain. Those who do are in a class of their own. They have passed the severest of tests.
I regret that I gave Peter Knights an ankle tap. The game was in the '70s at Glenferrie Oval. For years the fair Hawk with the fair hair had the better of me. In frustration, I put the slipper into his ankle. It wasn't a vicious kick, but it was unnecessary and unfair. At the time I thought about writing a letter of apology, but never did.
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