Wayne Carey says AFL fans have every right to boo Swans champion Lance Franklin.
The North Melbourne premiership player on Monday poured fuel on the explosive debate at a time when the footy community has been left fractured by differing views being shared across the game.
Collingwood on Monday night apologised to Franklin after the Sydney forward was booed by fans at the MCG on Sunday.
The AFL world has rallied around Franklin after the Magpies’ 29-point win over the Swans in the first regular season clash between the clubs at the MCG since 2013.
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The booing caught the attention of both coaches and was panned throughout the Monday morning wash up after the weekend of footy.
However, there has also been a groundswell of public calls defending the right of fans to heckle players.
Carey posted on Twitter on Monday: “What an overreaction re buddy booing … What about Jack (Ginnivan) and Jason (Horne-Francis) in the last 2 yrs for example.
“Gil (McLachlan) on the front foot only because of Adam (Goodes)?? Not the same thing!! Everyone calm down. Leading the news surprise surprise.”
The scandal has been linked by many to the dark moment in the history of the sport when Adam Goodes retired prematurely as a result of persistent booing, widey viewed as being racially motivated towards the proud Indigenous Australian footballer.
McLachlan has been quick to act on the Franklin issue having previously admitted he dropped the ball when failing to condemn or take action against the booing Goodes received — until it was too late.
Goodes in 2021 declined his inclusion in the Australian Football Hall of Fame and did not attend the event.
It is why the booing of Franklin has been such a prickly subject. Veteran football journalist Caroline Wilson on Monday night said the booing Franklin received was “pretty disgusting”.
However, Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd also shared his opinion that there is still a place in the game for players to be booed.
“I think we have to be careful we’re not getting that soft as a society there is still room for it,” Lloyd said on Channel 9’s Footy Classified.
“If there’s any tone towards racism, I understand that, but there are champion players of the game I remember growing up with, Carey, Ablett Senior, and Lockett, we’re decades on from that, but if you want to try and get under the skin of somebody, when I used to turn up to Adelaide Oval or Footy Park, there has to be room for it.
“Some would be booing Lance because he’s a champion. Average players don’t get booed.”
He went on to say fans should be allowed to attempt to get under the skin of opposition players, using Western Bulldogs forward Aaron Naughton as an example.
He said: “What about Aaron Naughton, if Carlton fans believe he’s not the best kick for goal and they want to try and get in his head nice and early, is there anything wrong with that?
“I still think there’s room for that in the game.”
Speaking on his The Truth Hurts podcast, Carey said he never found it a problem when he was booed throughout his career.
“Horse (Swans coach John Longmire) has obviously highlighted it, and coaches are so protective of their players and I understand why, but I think now highlighting it makes it a bigger issue,” Carey said.
“Bucks, I’m not sure what Bucks (Nathan Buckley) is talking about, but every time I played Collingwood, I got booed for 10 years and I think it’s a badge of honour.
“It was more in the last quarter, when Collingwood know they’re going to win. He’s a champion of the game. The reason that Collingwood supporters are booing is because he has been a champion of the game. He is a superstar.
“Should you do it? Look, I’m not a booer, I’m not into booing. I don’t understand why people do boo but they have the right, they pay the money, they come in. I just think the overreaction now is the commentary around it.
“The Collingwood supporters used to cheer ‘Carey’s a wanker’. Now, they’re probably right but I got that every time you played against Collingwood. So you always knew you were going to be booed and called names when you played against Collingwood.
“Richmond supporters would boo as well. If anything, it would spur you on. I remember being booed and I took it as a badge of honour and it made me want to win even more if that’s possible.”
Earlier, in a statement released under the names of Collingwood captain Darcy Moore, coach Craig McRae and CEO Craig Kelly, the Magpies hit out at the fans who booed Franklin.
“We apologise to the Sydney Swans and to Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin,” the statement began.
“The Club does not support booing, particularly champions of the game.
“Yesterday was the first time we played the Swans at the MCG in a decade – it provided an opportunity to respect a champion of the game and we fell short.
“Buddy is a great of Australian football – what he has achieved on the field over a long period of time demands a high level of respect.”
