Dwayne Russell has criticised some of the wording from Collingwood’s press release regarding Steele Sidebottom’s suspension.
The Magpies vice-captain was handed a four-week ban while Lynden Dunn copped a one-match suspension for his part in the weekend’s saga which saw both players break COVID-19 protocols.
Part of the club’s statement released on Wednesday read: “Collingwood and Sidebottom share the view that his four-match ban is excessive, inconsistent with recent protocol breaches and contestable.
“However, club and player concluded that for the greater good of the game and the realities of our time it was necessary to end the matter.”
Russell felt the Magpies dealt with the matter professionally but was unsure those particular words in the statement were required when attempting to defend the player and themselves.
“I think Collingwood handled it extremely well,” he said on SEN’s Dwayne’s World.
“But I think Collingwood for some reason in their press release felt like they had to tell the world that it was excessive and they didn’t agree with the four-week suspension.
“They said that they’ll accept it and they won’t challenge it. I’m not sure why they needed to make the point public that they didn’t agree with it.
“If you are going to accept it, just accept it. Don’t make it sound like you are doing us or the AFL a favour by accepting it.
“I’m not sure why they needed to paint it like they were trying to be the good guys here for the sake of the AFL.
“I think four weeks is fair. I think the AFL at this time when it’s negotiating with State Premiers to give footballers the trust, to have this happen is the last thing they needed.”
Russell also commented on Sidebottom keeping his vice-captain status at the club despite his drunken episode.
“According to Eddie (McGuire), Sidebottom won’t be stripped of the vice-captaincy, he’s still going to lead them for 2020,” he added.
“I’m ok if Collingwood want to keep him as vice-captain to be honest. Every club sets their own leadership parameters, every club has their own culture to assess and if Collingwood think that having Steele Sidebottom continue as vice-captain is what they are about as a club, well, let them do it. It’s their decision, it’s their culture and it’s their leadership system.
“If I was the coach of a club, I would look at stripping it but Collingwood is looking at it from their eyes and they know Steele Sidebottom better than anybody else.”