Scott free to coach against Crows, but $30k lighter
Swift and unreserved apologies from North Melbourne and coach Brad Scott have potentially spared the embarrassed coach from sitting out tomorrow night’s game against the Crows at Adelaide Oval.
Kangaroos coach Brad Scott has been hit with a substantial fine. Photo: Joe Castro, AAP.
But the match will be under an unusual spotlight, given both Scott and Crows coach Don Pyke have infamously questioned umpiring this year.
After a lopsided free kick count to the Bulldogs in their Round 7 fixture, Pyke sought an explanation from the AFL, lamenting: “It was pretty frustrating for our fans and players.”
“We will address that with the umpiring department during the week. We will seek some understanding,” he said at the time, before subsequently declaring himself satisfied with the outcome.
Scott might be significantly less satisfied with the outcome of his Friday night blast, wherein he accused umpires of bias against Kangaroos player Lindsay Thomas following the Kangaroos’ loss to Hawthorn.
After meeting Scott and North football manager Geoff Walsh yesterday, the league fined the club $50,000 and the coach $30,000, with no part of the heavy fines suspended.
North and Scott immediately accepted the penalties.
In one of the game’s all-time colossal mistakes, Scott claimed in his post-match media conference the umpires had told North players they were not paying Thomas high free kicks because he was a ducker.
Within 12 hours North admitted the claim of preconceived bias was wrong and immediately apologised.
Scott did likewise on Monday, saying the mistake was his alone and added it was up to the AFL what his punishment should be.
AFL football operations manager Mark Evans said after the penalties were announced that a suspension for Scott was considered.
But he also pointed to North’s speedy retraction, which avoided a protracted AFL investigation, and the sincerity of the apologies from the club and coach.
“On this occasion, I thought the apology was very, very strong, it came very swiftly and I thought they presented that very well today,” Evans said.
But he also again made it clear the AFL was furious at Scott’s comments.
He added North were fined because more could have been done to stop Scott making the claim.
“We felt Brad’s comments had gone past more than just criticism of umpires and we felt they actually went to the integrity of our umpiring staff … and the AFL itself,” Evans said.
“We felt there were actions there, not just the comments, but actions that maybe the club could have averted this.”
AFL counsel Andrew Dillon accompanied Evans when they met Scott and Walsh.
Evans said he would meet North again in the wake of the controversy.
“We will get to that,” he said.
-with AAP
