Carlton great Sam Docherty has been barred from appearing at a club function after his explosive assessment of the Blues’ game style was leaked in the wake of their humiliating Opening Round loss to Sydney.
And his exile is set to extend until Round 6, with SEN’s Sam Edmund posting on social media that he won’t be welcomed back until the Peter Mac showdown against Collingwood.
The former Blues captain, who retired at the end of last season after 184 games, delivered a brutal critique of the team in a private voice message that was later aired on Daniel Gorringe’s Dan Does Footy podcast.
Docherty’s comments came after Carlton’s 63-point defeat to the Swans and were packed with profanity as he dissected the club’s struggles when the game opens up.
‘Exactly what happened again [on Thursday night] is the same s**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 great Sam Docherty unloaded on his former club after their Opening Round loss in a private voice message
That message became public and Docherty was consequently banned from a club function
Former AFL star Dan Gorringe released the audio on his Dan Does Footy podcast, creating the firestorm
‘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 s***show.
‘Essentially, because the game gets somewhat slower and there’s more open brand footy, that’s when Carlton is f***ing horrible … Basically, you smack our mids again this year, and we’ll be fed, going off [Thursday night].’
The message quickly went viral after it was played on the podcast, prompting backlash across the football world and fury from prominent broadcaster Gerard Whateley.
Whateley labelled the decision to air the private message ‘reprehensible behaviour’.
‘I know you [Gorringe] don’t want to stand inside the media, but there are actually parameters that guide what goes to air and what doesn’t, and what’s private and what’s public,’ he said.
‘And just because you want to crash through what things have always been, you can’t do that.
‘I think that is disgusting behaviour.’
Carlton responded by removing Docherty from a club function he had been scheduled to attend at the MCG ahead of Thursday night’s clash with Richmond.
Veteran broadcaster Gerard Whateley took exception to Gorringe airing the audio publicly
Gorringe has called for the Carlton Football Club to blame him instead of targeting Docherty
Blues chief executive Graham Wright confirmed the club had made the call in the wake of the controversy.
‘We made a decision based off supporting our own people internally,’ Wright said.
Docherty later said he never expected the voice message to be broadcast publicly, explaining he had sent the recap of his thoughts to Gorringe as part of a private discussion.
‘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 on 3AW.
‘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.’
The saga escalated again when Gorringe responded to the club’s decision on social media, mocking the idea he should be punished for the leak.
Gorringe reacted to the Docherty ban on his Dan Does Footy page on Instagram.
‘Ban me, ban me. It was me, idiot,’ Gorringe said, pointing to his forehead.
‘Didn’t use this thing [brain], dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb. ‘Ban me, exile me, don’t let me near anything.’
He then posted in the comments, saying: ‘Clearly they haven’t listened to a feel Good Friday episode after a prime time loss because I would be serving a life sentence’.
His followers were also bemused, lashing Carlton for the decision.
‘Carlton will do everything but take accountability for their own performance, board and coaches,’ one follower posted.
Another, tongue planted firmly in cheek, added: ‘Incredible club culture. No wonder it’s taken them nearly 30 years to rebuild.’
‘Carlton have the back bone of a linguini soup,’ posted another.
