Family wins out after wrangling

ST KILDA chief executive Matt Finnis says the club’s senior figures debated a decision by two of its players to choose family over playing a game of footy.

Finnis also said the club had bigger issues to worry about than criticism of stars Seb Ross and Tim Membrey flying home to be with their wives. One has twins and the other is due to give birth soon.

Ross and Membrey missed the critical season-ending loss to Adelaide in Cairns to fly back to Melbourne.

Finnis said that senior figures at the club had debated the decision, but ultimately supported Ross and Membrey.

“There are no misgivings, but what I would say is that like any organisation that is in a highly competitive industry, we debate these decisions,” Finnis said on SEN. “But once the decisions are made, we get behind the players and we give them our support.”

The issue came to light when Footy Classified’s Caroline Wilson questioned the decision to allow the Saints’ pair to return home, saying “supporters and sponsors and members and other teammates would have every right to be a bit disappointed”.

Asked if there were senior members of the club who asked Ross and Membrey to stay with the team for last week’s clash, Finnis said there had been some debate around the issue.

He said St Kilda wanted to “check if there is anything more that the club could do to help the guys feel supported … if that’s about checking in, and debating, then I suppose that is a part of what we do”.

“I think our players know – and we have a pretty consistent record of this at the club – that we will always put family first and they will be supported in those decisions,’’ Finnis said.

“You can be disappointed, but you can be understanding. I don’t think the emotions are mutually exclusive.”