Port Adelaide’s Jeremy Finlayson has quickly walked back comments he made on his wife’s podcast.
“I made some comments on my wife Kellie’s Sh!t Talkers podcast yesterday that I need to address.” Finlayson said via a statement from the cub on Wednesday.
“I said “(It) pissed me off that I got a three-week suspension, that’s it, that’s tipped me over the edge. We’ll leave it there and (at) that.”
Finlayson said his comments were not about the AFL’s decision to suspend him for three matches because he used a homophobic slur on the field, rather he was reflecting on himself.
“When re-thinking my comments today, it’s clear that I should have provided more context.
“On reflection, I should have explained that I was bitterly disappointed that I said what I did during the game and I am bitterly disappointed that I put myself and the club in the position I did. That is what I am most upset with.
“What I said on the field that night was totally unacceptable. I knew that at the time and I know it now. I stress, I have no issue with the sanction at all.”
Listeners were initially alarmed at the podcast comments as it sounded like Finlayson did not really have the level of contrition that the club had highlighted in the leadup to his punishment being decided.
The AFL had praised him for quickly apologising for using the slur and indicated this had been taken into account when deciding his punishment.
The podcast was later edited to remove the comment.
