St Kilda coach Ross Lyon offered to consider quitting his job earlier this month after offending several Indigenous players with a comment made at training.
Veteran journalist Caroline Wilson reports the players have since accepted Lyon did not mean to be racist in the incident which occurred during the Saints’ early-season bye week.
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As three Indigenous Saints players were in a chain taking part in a drill, Lyon made the comment: “I love the brother boy connection, but we all have to remember we are part of a bigger team here”.
“This comment didn’t sit well with Brad Hill, or Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, or any of the other Indigenous players who heard the comment,” Wilson said on Seven’s The Agenda Setters.
“That was on Friday. On Saturday night Brad Hill, who is probably the leader of St Kilda’s Indigenous cohort … called Ross and communicated his displeasure to Ross.
“Lyon, who had been feeling uncomfortable knowing that something was not right since the previous day, wanted the players to have a day off because they were on a bye. (But) gathered them all at the club on the Monday at their request and his request.
“He became very emotional, and offered to consider his position of senior coach.”
In a statement given to Wilson, Lyon said his comment “didn’t land where it should have landed” and asked whether he was being casually racist.
“I’m not here to justify or try to rationalise what I said. We are all only as good as our next moment and it was a moment I understand I misjudged,” Lyon said.
“Was I being flippant? Could it be described as casual racism? I learned a lot out of what happened.
“It didn’t land where it should have landed and I have to wear that, and I take full responsibility for what I said.
“I was very emotional at the meeting, and I offered to consider my position.”
Wilson said Hill was “not happy” the story had been made public.
Hill did not contradict that when he posted a photo of himself, Lyon and Wanganeen-Milera celebrating on his Instagram story with the text: “Sorry Caro but we love Ross”.
Wilson had made it clear in her report the players were backing Lyon after the meeting.
“But my understanding is that Hill and all of his teammates, including Nasiah who were not happy, were satisfied and absolutely accepted that Ross has said the wrong thing – but in no way meant to be racist,” she said.
“I think Brad Hill made the point to Ross on the Saturday night, he wouldn’t have said that if it was three white players, so you shouldn’t have said it to us.”
She added: “He’s (Lyon) almost relieved that we’re going to report it because he believes the truth in some weird way will set him free.
“He doesn’t think he’s racist, and he certainly was horrified at how much he had hurt those players.”
Originally published as ‘Didn’t mean to be racist’: Saints coach Ross Lyon ‘offered to consider position’ after training comment to Indigenous players
