Essendon coach Brad Scott says ruckman Sam Draper nonetheless has loads of scope to specific his persona and be humorous — simply not on the expense of an opposition coach.
Draper earned the ire of Essendon and Western Bulldogs officers for his podcast feedback wherein he questioned the way forward for Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge.
Whereas imitating a journalist as a part of a enjoyable position play, Draper acknowledged some Bulldogs gamers would request a commerce at season’s finish if Beveridge stays on as coach.
Beveridge labelled the feedback as weird, and Scott wasn’t glad both.
“I used to be actually upset in Sam, and he is very, very clear how upset I used to be,” Scott stated after Essendon’s thrilling six-point win over West Coast on Saturday night time.
“He thought he was in an surroundings the place he thought he was being humorous, and I stated, ‘mate, it is the furthest factor from humorous, it is disrespectful’.
“Our membership has needed to battle extraordinarily laborious for a protracted time frame to earn respect again on this competitors, and that is only one factor that eats away at that.
“I used to be actually upset in him, however on the similar time I see these as alternatives to assist educate and work with gamers.
“It is not about hanging him out to dry, however he is aware of that he did the improper factor.”
Though Scott wasn’t pleased with Draper’s podcast feedback, he is encouraging the 25-year-old to maintain being a personality — inside motive.
“I believe the sport’s bought loads of room for a little bit of color,” Scott stated.
“Drapes provides huge color.
“I see quite a lot of four- and five-year-olds operating round with mullets with the quantity two on their again on an Essendon jumper, and it is incredible. I find it irresistible.
“He is a really marketable sort of man and he is a lovable man. He is such good enjoyable to be round and such an ideal membership man.
“However there’s a line when it comes to what’s color and what’s extroversion and what’s disrespectful.”
Draper was a notable absentee from the win over West Coast, with Scott confirming the transfer was made to relaxation the ruckman’s sore knee.
“We’d have beloved him tonight, however we went by way of a cycle final yr with Drapes the place we saved enjoying him and he had a sore knee,” Scott stated.
“I simply needed to interrupt that cycle. So offered his knee is okay, he’ll play subsequent week.”
AAP
Sports activities content material to make you assume… or enable you to not. A e-newsletter delivered every Saturday.