Longmire support after Parker drama

SYDNEY coach John Longmire has launched a spirited defence of Luke Parker over his taunting of Essendon’s Dylan Shiel, declaring he had absolute support for the way the Swans co-captain “goes about his footy”.

Parker has been thrust into the spotlight for mocking Shiel during the Swans’ win over the Bombers at the SCG last Saturday night.

The Swans’ midfielder appeared to taunt the struggling Shiel after the Bomber lost control of the ball, turning it over to Parker, who capitalised with a goal.

Parker then repeatedly shrugged his shoulders, suggesting

that Shiel’s attack on the football had been questionable.

Essendon great Matthew Lloyd said Shiel - or one of his teammates - should have “ploughed straight through” Parker in retaliation.

Asked if he had any issue with Parker’s on-field actions, Longmire said the Swan had showed he played the game in the “right way”.

“What I have is absolute support for Luke Parker,” Longmire said on Wednesday.

“I think Luke Parker’s history suggests he plays the game in the right way..

“I don’t think this is a behaviour that has been repeated too often and I

absolutely support Luke in the way that he goes about his footy.

“It’s not something that, from our perspective, really warrants the air play four days later.

“We’re into (the next game against) Carlton.”

Longmire said that he had touched on the incident only briefly in Parker’s game review and said the midfielder’s on-field record spoke for itself.

“We touched on it as part of his game review but that’s only part of a general discussion and we did not talk about it for too long at all,” Longmire said.

“In the end, Luke’s record stands for itself.

“He is a wonderful servant of our footy club and, again, he plays the game in the right way and that’s the way he will continue to play.”

Longmire was bemused that Parker’s actions remained a talking point four days later.

“We are still talking about it four days later and I’m not sure it deserved that,” Longmire said.

“It was something that we did not touch on much at all in the review, we looked at what the Essendon game was, what we did well, what we needed to improve and then we’re on to Carlton.

“I’m not sure it’s relevant four days later, to be honest.”

The Swans will be without

James Rowbottom for Friday night’s clash against Carlton at Marvel Stadium after his one-match rough conduct ban was upheld by the AFL tribunal.

“We felt as though we had a real case, we felt we argued it really well at the tribunal, we were given a fair hearing,” Longmire said. “Unfortunately, it didn’t go our way … we will sit down after training and work out what that looks like.

“James has been a very important part of our team this year and what we do from here will be decided upon this afternoon.

“We feel like we have got a few options, whether it’s a like for like or not, we’ll make that decision afterwards.”