POT calling the kettle black. Throwing stones in a glass houses. These are some of the things being said about the West Coast Eagles after the club accused Lindsay Thomas for diving in an attempt to win free kicks last week.
The media, supporters and my Twitter followers have all echoed these sentiments and sayings. Even Richmond coach Damien Hardwick weighed in and said Lindsay’s character had been assassinated by the Eagles.
For us though, inside the tent at Aegis Park, we’re not too concerned. But what we will do, is fly the flag for Lindsay who has been sensational for us in recent times. We can’t just let another club slander him and get away with it.
It all came about at the tribunal when the Eagles’ defence lawyer tried to say Lindsay was guilty of faking being hit in order to claim free kicks. He also said an apparent Luke Shuey elbow to the groin never happened and Lindsay was acting when he fell to the ground.
Well I’ve seen the footage and there’s no doubt Lindsay copped a low blow where it hurts the most. It’s not Shuey’s elbow that does the damage either, it’s his shoulder that gets rammed right into the crown jewels as some call them. In my mind, he did well to get up so quickly and try and get the ball.
West Coast has been the target of similar accusations which is why their claims have surprised many in the football industry. Throughout the year, they’ve been accused of ‘ducking’ in the contest in order to ‘milk’ head-high free kicks.
When these claims were flying about, John Worsfold took umbrage saying, "I think if you feel a hand across your head you can make it known to the umpire that you're getting hit high...we haven't talked about it within the club except for answering questions from outside people, about things that we're mystified about.”
So Worsfold is ‘mystified’ that people would make such claims about his men, but his club then slings mud at others like Lindsay.
Well it’s safe to say we too are mystified.
Football manager Donald McDonald and our coach Brad Scott came out and said they would never bring another player into an argument and sully their name. Glenn Archer voiced his disappointment about the failure to uphold the players’ code of conduct; what happens on the field stays on the field.
Back in Arch’s day, you would never try and dob in another player or drag their name through the mud. You would doing everything possible to help them get off and hope to square-up with them next time around.
The accusations thrown at Lindsay is insulting, but when the insult has come from West Coast it smacks of irony.
Playing alongside Lindsay every week in our forward line allows me to see that he plays with blind passion which drives him to do anything to help us win. He chases opponents down, kicks vital goals and intimidates the other players with his courage, bravery and actions.
Lindsay is a crucial piece of the North Melbourne puzzle and a player many club’s would kill to have. We are glad to have him in our side and our supporters should be rapt to have him run out for the Kangaroos.
Lindsay is anything but a diver, and anyone who suggests otherwise clearly doesn’t know how tough it is out there on the field.
Follow @drewpetrie20
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