Neil Mitchell explains why Richmond has been ‘inconsistent and hypocritical’

Neil Mitchell has commended the Richmond Football Club for banning a club member over an “unacceptable” racist comment directed at West Coast’s Liam Ryan.

But he says the Tigers are hypocritical.

The club member has been banned for two years for his comment, posted on social media.

“How does that compare with the punishment of a player who humiliated and degraded a woman a couple of years ago after their premiership?” Neil Mitchell asked.

“Nathan Broad took a photo of a woman wearing his premiership medal and she was topless.

“He promised not to share it with the world and he did.

“She was deeply upset about it and rightly so.

“What happened to Nathan Broad? Suspended for three matches.

“He still got life membership, he still went on the post-premiership holiday.

“So a man who uses a bad word that is racist, a club member, is banned for two years.

“But a player who behaves in reprehensible fashion, effectively intellectually brutalising a woman? He gets three matches.

“That is inconsistent.

“That is hypocritical.

“I know the woman involved is still dissatisfied with the player’s punishment – the family feels let down by the club.

“Her life has been irretrievably impacted on.

“This bloke got three matches but a club member? Two years for using a bad word about someone.”

The AFL’s general manager of inclusion and social policy, Tanya Hosch, said a new policy had been implemented since the Broad incident took place.

“I’m pretty confident if that was to happen under the new policy the sanction would be harsher,” she said.

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