AFL world divided after fan footage captures Ross Lyon in 'brutal' act

Yahoo

27-04-2025

AFL commentator Kate McCarthy believes Ross Lyon should have directed a spray at a more senior player than Hugo Garcia after footage emerged of the St Kilda coach barking at the 16-gamer before subbing him out on Saturday night. Lyon is facing renewed scrutiny after the Saints' 45-point loss to Brisbane at Marvel Stadium.
Lyon didn't hold back when talking to the players at quarter-time after the Lions racked up a whopping 24 inside-50s to six in the opening term. He then pulled the trigger early and took 19-year-old Garcia out of the game in the second quarter - a lot earlier than what we normally see.
Fan footage has since emerged of Lyon giving Garcia and Ryan Byrnes an almighty spray on the St Kilda bench, paying particular attention to Garcia. Speaking in his press conference after the game, Lyon was unapologetic for taking Garcia out so early.
"Sometimes you have to stop talking about it and sometimes you just go 'bang'," he said. "I pulled the sub, tried to get something done."
Lyon denied 'spraying' his players, but said: "I was animated ... (the most) since I've been back at the club. AFL teams don't do this under pressure. I just coach action ... you can't read minds. We're talking top of the pops (Brisbane). Did I think coming here it was going to be a picnic? I wouldn't have thought so."
Ross gives a shit and certainly hates losing. This is a long journey but this is the most animated he's been since he came back to Moorabbin. pic.twitter.com/keDrNH2ovK
— Saints TV (@saintstvpod) April 26, 2025
Discussing the incident on the bench with Garcia on Sunday, former AFLW player-turned-analyst McCarthy suggested Garcia was on a hiding to nothing. McCarthy said Lyon should have directed his spray at a more senior player, and would be better off playing Garcia in the VFL rather than giving him limited minutes in the AFL.
After journalist Josh Gabelich said on 'The Round So Far' that it was "brutal" treatment of a 19-year-old, McCarthy responded: "Cleary he's trying to make a point and set a standard, but Hugo Garcia is in his 16th game of (AFL) football. He had 23 minutes of game time across one-and-a-half quarters.
"He's pointed the finger at Hugo Garcia for not playing the 'stay forward' mid. But in the first quarter, Lachie Neale's direct opponent was Jack Steele - the captain of the club - and he allowed Neale to waltz into an open goal and kick the first goal of the game.
"For me, if you're sending a message, it's a player like that you send a message through, not a 16-gamer who's still learning the ropes. If you don't want to play him or give him the opportunity to learn from his mistakes, don't play him. Let him learn in the VFL, and then when he's ready to play that role in the AFL, play him there.
"For me, roasting a player on the bench before quarter-time and subbing him out in the second quarter is not going to help a player learn. It's going to send them the other way. I don't really know what Hugo Garcia is going to get out of that for the next few weeks."
"If you're sending a message, it's a player like that that you send a message to, not a 16-gamer.'- Kate McCarthy on Ross Lyon's take on Hugo GarciaWatch Now: https://t.co/rUgyFSxRdP pic.twitter.com/bwwRvK0krU
— AFL.com.au (@AFLcomau) April 27, 2025
However not everyone agrees. While some believe Lyon was off the mark, others felt he was well within his rights to issue a spray considering the way things are going. Veteran broadcaster Stephen Quartermain countered: "Sometimes tough love is the best love. We can't kiss and cuddle the modern player all the time. I bet you Hugo Garcia has learnt a valuable footy lesson."
no more cuddly Ross .. love the good old spray .. bloody modern sensitive players need a kick
— MARTY BOY (@M4RTiBoi) April 26, 2025
If my boss treated me like this I'm gone the next day
— Amyl (@amylthesniffer) April 27, 2025
@stkildafc Hugo Garcia was playing hard and trying to get in and under.Jack Steele's timing was way off all game. Steele is not fit or is too slow now. Bad decision by Ross Lyon.I hope he apologised to Hugo and Hugo stays at St Kilda. Memories of how Ross treated Luke Ball https://t.co/XopoimgYaj
— john sinisgalli (@johnvsinisgalli) April 27, 2025
Lyon said the first quarter was "really disappointing" that players weren't "tuned in mentally to the conditions and the opponents like they needed to." He added: "We had some good passages, but we're not executing at a high enough standard for long enough."
with AAP