Essendon has issued an apology to the Western Bulldogs after their prominent player, Sam Draper, made controversial remarks on his podcast.
Draper sparked controversy with his bold comments on the 200 Plus Podcast, co-hosted by North Melbourne’s Charlie Comben and journalist Nick Butler, a couple of weeks ago. He hinted that players might seek trades if Bulldogs coach Beveridge remained in charge, without specifically naming individuals. Although Draper didn’t mention any names, his co-hosts referenced Caleb Daniel, Jack Macrae, and Bailey Dale. Draper even confidently suggested that Bailey Smith was destined to depart, despite Smith’s ongoing recovery from an ACL injury and his contract ending soon.
How would've Joel Selwood as captain reacted to Sam Draper's commentary on the Western Bulldogs?
"You'd scratch your head, for starters!" pic.twitter.com/nk2GGM0uwL
— 7AFL (@7AFL) May 1, 2024
Following scrutiny, the contentious remarks were edited out of the podcast. Draper admitted feeling “post-podcast anxiety” in the subsequent episode. The club responded swiftly upon being made aware of the situation, reminding Draper that such comments are not reflective of their values. They also reached out to the Western Bulldogs to extend their apologies.
Draper’s season has been eventful, marked by controversial incidents. In a recent match against Adelaide, he escaped a holding-the-ball penalty in the final seconds, leading to a contentious finish. Draper’s subsequent celebration with teammates Jake Stringer and Nick Hind drew attention, with Draper mimicking himself diving for an imaginary ball, much to the crowd’s chagrin. The fallout from this incident saw Draper receiving death threats on social media, further intensifying the controversy.
