Wilson's attack scurrilous

It's fair enough to have a set against certain people. AussieRulesBlog has always had a few 'whipping boys', so we can hardly claim to be purer than the driven snow. But we're happy to provide a rational justification for our comments and to admit they're subjective. That The Age's chief football writer, Caroline Wilson, has a set against Essendon coach James Hird can no longer be doubted after the scurrilous article appearing under her byline today.

Almost a year ago, Wilson accused Paul Roos and James Hird of promoting rascist drafting policies. In response to questions on discussions for a two-interchange, two-substitute bench, Roos and Hird both observed that such a system would put a premium on endurance which might disadvantage highly-skilled indigenous players. Wilson wilfully misrepresented these comments as a call to exclude indigenous players from the AFL Draft simply because they were indigenous. This view was utter nonsense, of course.

Fast forward a year and Wilson still has Hird in her sights. No doubt Wilson the Richmond supporter is enjoying seeing the Bombers in extremis, but she has allowed this to colour her judgement. So far, all that is publicly known is that Essendon have called in the AFL and ASADA to investigate matters of concern to the Essendon Board in relation to ASADA codes. The ACC report release smeared every club in every elite competition, so we learned nothing more. Yesterday, Gillon McLachlan, deputy AFL CEO, confirmed an investigation of the Bombers — which they had initiated — and said one other player at another club was being investigated. Again, nothing more substantive about the Bombers.

Hird's statement accepting responsibility — for nothing definite — as head of the football department was enough for Wilson to wade in with all guns blazing. The investigation could take months and no-one has admitted to anything, but Wilson has decided Hird's position is untenable.

The Age was happy to print rumour as fact in recent days as it pushed Stephen Dank's reputation into the mire. Tellingly, he is suing the media for $10 million for defamation — ARB would make it $100 million.

No doubt those 'journalists' on the bleeding edge will point to incessant news cycles and demand for content to excuse their lack of craft, but that's nonsense. Those journalists who retain their ethics don't write based on rumour. Wilson's stock in trade is rumour. She's not the only one. The time when the discerning football public will cease to support scurrilous rumour is drawing near. Wilson would do well to consider emulating her Age colleague, Michelle Grattan, and leave the field to those who do simple things like checking, corroborating and parking their personal prejudices before they begin writing.