An emotional Ross Lyon offered to consider his position as St Kilda coach after making an inappropriate comment about Indigenous players at a training session earlier this month.
Channel 7’s Caroline Wilson broke the story on The Agenda Setters, revealing the incident happened before the club’s bye at the start of April.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Ross Lyon apologises over ‘casual racism’ comment
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During a training drill, three Indigenous players linked up and Lyon said, “I love the Brotherboy connection but we all have to remember we are part of a bigger team here.”
Wilson reported the comment did not go down well with St Kilda’s players, including Indigenous leader Bradley Hill and superstar Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera.
The incident happened on the Friday and on Saturday, Hill rang Lyon to “communicate his displeasure”.
Lyon and the players then met on Monday when the coach became emotional and offered to consider his position.
The coach took full responsibility for the comment.
“I’m not here to justify or try to rationalise what I said. We are all only as good as our next moment and it was a moment I understand I misjudged,” Lyon said in a statement to The Agenda Setters.
“Was I being flippant? Could it be described as casual racism? I learned a lot out of what happened.
“It didn’t land where it should have landed and I have to wear that and I take full responsiblity for what I said.
“I was very emotional at the meeting, and I offered to consider my position.”
Wilson reported that the players were satisfied and “absolutely accepted” that Lyon said the wrong thing, but “in no way meant to be racist”.
“Now, I can tell you that everyone got a bit emotional at this meeting. The players and Ross all hugged,” she continued.
“I asked Ross whether he felt that the issue had been resolved. He didn’t want to speak for his players. He’s spoken to Bradley Hill tonight as a result of knowing what we’re going to report on the show.
“My understanding is that Bradley Hill and all of his teammates, including Nasiah, who were not happy, were satisfied and absolutely accepted that Ross had said the wrong thing, but in no way meant to be racist.
“I think Brad Hill made the point to Ross on the Saturday night, ‘look, you wouldn’t have said that if it was three white players, so you shouldn’t have said it to us’.”
Wilson added that Lyon was almost “relieved” the story has come out.
“There is no doubt he has a very good track record, Ross Lyon with Indigenous football is going back to his time at Fremantle,” she said.
“He’s almost relieved that we’re going to report it because he believes the truth in some weird way will set him free.
“He doesn’t think he’s racist and he certainly was horrified at how much he had hurt those players.
“He offered to address the entire playing group after the initial meeting. But the players at that meeting said that that wouldn’t be necessary. And they are absolutely insistent that they have moved on.”
More to come …
