"Obviously we're pretty disappointed with his comments. We caught up with him this morning and moved his foot from his mouth and my foot from his arse"
Damien Hardwick on Jack Riewoldt.
It is only very occasionally, amid the maddening monotony of AFL press conferences, that something of interest happens. The scourge of media training has reduced them to generally repetitive and dour affairs, people without much of a vocabulary repeating the few words they know and trying desperately not to say anything, anything, that might make for a back page lead.
Mercifully though, there are times when all that media training escapes someone. Certain players just don't get along with all those microphones, nor their operators. It's a recipe for disaster, and sometimes that recipe produces a cake so outstanding that even we here at The Smother can't not write about it. When Jack Riewoldt, fresh from a media ban, stepped back into the fray of the fourth estate - no one could have anticipated the storm that would follow. All that he really did was attempt to diagnose issues at Richmond that are quite blatant to anyone who has seen them play (or even their results).
His coach, however, didn't appreciate the impromptu inquisition. "I don't think he knew what he was saying" grumbled an agitated Hardwick, "it was one of those interviews where he constantly got himself deeper and deeper into trouble. He's very remorseful, he doesn't actually know why he said it". When asked if Riewoldt's indiscretion could see him banished to the magoos, Hardwick menacingly cited precedent in Newton's third law: "Like everything, with every action comes an equal and opposite reaction".
We must admit we poked fun at Riewoldt's early season media-ban, but we're man enough to admit we were wrong. As the inverse to Newton's law would suggest; if you want to stop reactions, cease taking action.
In the news...
Giant Kangaroo Todd Goldstein has committed to the club for another two years. "I'm really happy to be at the footy club" he chuffed.
Demons coach Paul Roos has ruled out remaining coach post-2016. "I've really enjoyed the footy club and I've really enjoyed the players" he said in what might be the most premature retirement speech in AFL history.
And finally, for those on Bryce Gibbs watch: his contract is now awaiting board approval. It is expected he will re-sign at Carlton for another 4-5 years.
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