Giants fume to Max
GWS frustrated over claims against runner
GWS are fuming over the controversy around their AFL runner Nick Maxwell, calling it derogatory and a non-issue.
The AFL gave the Giants an official warning yesterday afternoon about Maxwell’s on-field actions.
But GWS strongly deny the former Collingwood captain has done anything wrong. The umpires mentioned Maxwell in their postgame report last weekend, following the Giants’ shock loss to Carlton.
That prompted the AFL to issue GWS a “please explain”.
Maxwell has been in the media spotlight since the Blues match for standing on the ground at some Carlton kick-ins.
The inference was that the Magpies’ premiership defender was positioning himself on the edge of the centre square to fill up space.
The AFL warned the Giants about Maxwell coaching players on the ground and where he was standing. But earlier yesterday, Giants football manager Wayne Campbell said the AFL had only spoken to the club about Maxwell apparently coaching players on the ground.
“In the AFL’s defence, they are not talking about where he’s standing, but there was some examples of where he was coaching,” Campbell said.
“If that’s the case, we’ll have a chat to Nick and, if he’s been coaching, I’m sure he’ll stop. But the thing that’s been made a big deal of is not an issue ... I think they have been derogatory comments.”
The Maxwell controversy comes three years after the AFL had cracked down on runners spending too much time on the ground and being too close to the play.
Campbell said during the pre-season, an AFL matchday manager had told Maxwell he could stand on the ground, away from the ball.
“I imagine he’s been doing that for the last 12 weeks, it got highlighted this time,” he said.