Sam Docherty has been pulled from a Carlton function this week following his blistering criticism of his former side after their Opening Round loss to the Sydney Swans.
Docherty, an 184-game defender who retired last year, had been due to attend a Carlton function at the MCG on Thursday night ahead of the traditional Round 1 match against Richmond.
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But AFL.com.au has reported the 32-year-old has been withdrawn from the event in the wake of his comments about the Blues revealed via a voice message to former teammate Daniel Gorringe on the Dan Does Footy podcast.
Journalist Damian Barrett said on Nine’s Footy Classifed Docherty’s withdrawal was a “direct result of the comments made on that podcast”.
“He has been contacted by the club and now told he will not be appearing at that particular function,” Barrett said.
“It’s a temporary cooling off between the two parties. He will be included in future club functions but it was a direct result of the comments made on that podcast.
“We made a decision based off supporting our own people internally,” Carlton CEO Graham Wright said in a statement to Channel Nine’s Footy Classified.
SEN’s Sam Edmund also reported Carlton had informed Docherty he would have no role in the Round 6 Peter Mac game against Collingwood, which aims to raise funds for the Peter MacCullum Cancer Centre.
Docherty underwent treatment for testicular cancer during the latter stages of his career before making a return to football. He sits on the Peter Mac board.
Essendon great Matthew Lloyd, who was labelled a “filthy rat” by Gorringe for criticising the public airing of the comments, said Docherty’s comments about Carlton’s lack of game plan were accurate.
“There’s obviously people in the club, whether that’s players or the coach himself, that are upset or hurt by the comments but I think in the cool light of day they could take a listen … and go, ‘You know what? There’s a fair bit of truth in what he’s saying here, that when our midfielders go well, we go well, but when they get matched or beaten we’re in a lot of trouble’,” Lloyd said.
“I think if they could look deeper, he’s got a lot of points in what’s he making here but it’s probably the way he went about it. But he was let down, as I’ve said before, he was let down and never thought it would air the way it was aired. But there’s a lot of truth to what he was saying.”
In the voice message, Docherty was blunt in his assessment of Carlton’s performance in the 63-point defeat to the Swans at the SCG.
The Swans piled on 12 goals in the third quarter, cutting the Blues to pieces in one of the highest scoring terms in AFL history.
“Exactly what happened again last night, is the same sh*t that happens in every other game,” Docherty said.
“When the game’s hot and contested and pressurised, Carlton is good in that environment. But as soon as some team can do somewhat good in the contest, the rest of the game just f***ing falls to pieces.”
“Carlton were +21 in contested possessions; they were just winning all the contests around the ground, which then got the ball played in their half on their terms. Admittedly their ball movement was pretty good in the first half, and they were sort of able to control the tempo.
“But then they start losing contests. They get under pressure, they can’t get a hold of the ball and they’re just an absolute f***ing sh**show.
“That’s essentially what happened again last night. Sydney (were) +10 in the third quarter in contested possession. Game against Carlton, defence doesn’t hold up.
“Basically, you smack our mids again this year, and we’ll be f***ed, going off last night.”
Carlton coach Michael Voss will be desperate to win Thursday’s game against the rebuilding Richmond, but AFL 360’s Gerard Whateley believes the reaction to Carlton’s loss to the Swans has been akin to “hyperventilating”.
“The hyperventilating around Carlton has been ridiculous,” Whateley declared on Fox Footy on Monday night.
“When their fixture came out, you go ‘loss, win, win, win’. So, Sydney in Sydney was always going to be a loss.
“The manner of the third quarter is troubling – and that is for them to address and attempt to rectify – (but) these are the three games that they have to step through and win.”
The Blues play Richmond, Melbourne and North Melbourne in their next three games.
“And this is where you’re much more likely to see what they’ve been working on, that you’re able to embed,” Whateley continued.
“We got tastes of it along the way (against the Swans), but under the enormous pressure that Sydney was able to provide in the third quarter … they could do nothing as that unfolded.
“So, judge them on these next three games – which we fully expect them to win – rather than hyperventilating … go about and win these next three and give a better display of what you’ve been working on and the progress that you’ve made against the like-for-like, and then find your place.
“If you think they are going to be successful this year, you have deluded yourself into a state of frenzy, at which point you become a vandal.”
Docherty responds to leaked audio
Speaking on 3AW after his comments became public, Docherty apologised for his language, saying that although he stood by its sentiments, his memo was never intended to be used by Gorringe verbatim.
“I sent (Gorringe) a recap of my thoughts from the game last night which I thought was guiding a conversation, but I didn’t think was getting used verbatim,” Docherty said.
“It is what it is. Fairly strong comments in the end with what was released on the podcast, but I stand by the thoughts of what I was talking about because I’ve been talking about it all of the back end of last year and some of last night. But I do need to apologise to everyone for the expletives used throughout.
“I wasn’t thinking it was going out verbatim, but that’s OK. (Gorringe) is one of my best mates and I understand that that’s what the podcast is about, being close to the community and doing that. Just making sure I’m clarifying my comments.”
As part of the 3AW interview, Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd said he would be “bitterly disappointed” if the same thing had happened to him.
“I’d be bitterly disappointed in Dan Gorringe personally, I know he’s a mate of yours but I don’t think mates do that to mates personally,” Lloyd said.
“I don’t think mates do that to mates, personally.”
