- Reporter Caroline Wilson ignored plea from the AFL
Eddie McGuire has launched a furious broadside at Caroline Wilson after the veteran journalist went rogue and exposed the identity of an undercover security guard hired to protect the safety of several AFL head coaches.
The league reportedly told Wilson not to bring the man to attention on Channel Sevens’s The Agenda Setters footy panel show on Monday night – but the scribe ignored the plea.
The request ahead of Monday’s show followed the league adding beefed–up security for Michael Voss, Luke Beveridge and Simon Goodwin in recent weeks for games at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne.
According to Nine’s McGuire, the AFL is ‘absolutely out of their minds’ and ‘incandescent with rage’ at Wilson after she exposed the guard.
‘They asked Channel Seven specifically because of the delicate nature of personal security and family security of AFL employees, not to run the story about the security guard,’ McGuire said on Footy Classified on Wednesday night.
‘Not only did they run the story, they ran it absolutely open and the man involved here is an executive and a top professional in undercover surveillance and security.
AFL officials are reportedly furious at Caroline Wilson (pictured) after the veteran journalist went rogue and publicly identified an undercover security guard hired to protect coaches
According to Nine’s Eddie McGuire (pictured), the AFL are ‘absolutely out of their minds’ and ‘incandescent with rage’ at Wilson
The security guard (pictured, front) – whose name remains a closely guarded secret – was hired by the AFL to protect multiple coaches
‘She (Wilson) said “the AFL would be furious with me”. Well, she got that part right.
‘I can tell you they are absolutely out of their minds that this bloke has now been put in jeopardy. It’s not just the football that this guy does.
‘Not only that, it has brought to bear all the issues on sensitivities and privacy issues with not only the coaches, but the families of the coaches.’
McGuire then questioned how the free–to–air network can salvage what is becoming a rocky working relationship.
‘Channel Seven are the home of football (as the host broadcaster) and they put a ton of money in,’ he said.
‘But (after this saga) the balance between the ton of money and where they are at the moment is more fractious now than it has ever been.’
McGuire added that if the AFL had told him not to run a story after pointing out security concerns, he would have canned the piece.
‘It is very sensitive, this is a security issue, (so) I wouldn’t have run the story,’ he said.
Footy fans on social media also felt Wilson crossed the line.
It follows two separate social media posts which contained chilling death–threat references directed at Carlton coach Michael Voss (pictured) and ex–Demons boss Simon Goodwin
‘Why would you report on this? It is clearly for the safety of the coaches and now you have outed the bloke. You say the wives are scared yet you do this. Shame,’ one posted on X.
‘Your story is more important than other people’s safety is what you are telling us. Poor form exposing it,’ said another.
McGuire also said the Western Bulldogs delivered a ‘please explain’ to Channel Seven over Wilson’s on-air comments slamming their coach Luke Beveridge, and ‘humiliating their president and chief executive’.
Beveridge demonstrated the club’s anger with Seven by snubbing roaming reporter Brian Taylor after their big win over the GWS Giants last Thursday night.
