Lions coach Chris Fagan has sympathised with “conflicted” television commentator Daisy Pearce, who has been banned from entering Brisbane’s changerooms because she’s also on Geelong’s coaching staff.
The Channel 7 commentator won’t be allowed to enter the Lions’ “inner sanctum” to interview players after Brisbane’s match with the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium on Thursday night.
“I’m not deliberately targeting Daisy, but it’s no different … if one of my assistant coaches worked in the media and wanted to go into the rooms of another club, and they wouldn’t necessarily feel all that comfortable with that because you do see things and you do hear things,” Fagan said.
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“I think you’re conflicted when you work as a coach and you work in the media. I think that’s a terribly difficult thing to manage.”
The Lions are the second club to ban Pearce from its changerooms, following in the footsteps of Richmond.
“The preference would be that we shouldn’t have to make the choice – I think that’s unfair on the clubs,” Fagan said.
“It doesn’t make any sense to me, and … I don’t want to have to worry about it.
“It’s your inner sanctum, the changeroom of a football club, and who knows what she might see or hear.
“I’d rather not take that chance, and I don’t want our people walking around on eggshells just because they’re worried about what someone may or may not see.
“I just hope it doesn’t turn into one of those things every year … is Daisy being let in or is Daisy not being let in?”
Fagan said the Pearce situation was different to that of former Lions star Luke Hodge, who also worked at matches for Channel 7.
“Hodgey just worked with us in the pre-season,” the Lions mentor said.
“He never actually worked with us in season, so he didn’t know what was going on internally once the pre-season was over, and even in the pre-season, he was a one-day-a-week guy.
“It’s pretty different to the more substantial role that Daisy’s playing at Geelong.”
