Eddie, Bartel fire back at ‘totally wrong’ Brownlow claim

Eddie McGuire has hit back at recommendations that the AFL ought to give Essendon champion Jobe Watson his Brownlow Medal for the 2012 season.

Watson was stripped of the sport’s most prestigious award within the aftermath of the dietary supplements saga that haunted the Bombers all through the 2010s.

In his place, the Brownlow was awarded to Hawthorn’s Sam Mitchell and Richmond’s Trent Cotchin, who completed joint second that yr.

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Now, former Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy has sensationally recommended neither Mitchell nor Cotchin ought to have accepted the award, when requested if the membership ought to struggle to get the medal back to its authentic recipient.

“No, I believe the entire board desires to maneuver on and put the previous up to now, clearly. However I would not have taken Jobe’s Brownlow, if I used to be Sam Mitchell or Cotchin,” Sheedy informed Information Corp.

Former teammate of Watson at Essendon, Scott Gumbleton, strongly recommended that the AFL ought to return the medal to the three-time Dons finest and fairest winner.

“They need to simply give it back. He would settle for it. It is in all probability a reasonably silly resolution (by the AFL) for him to lose a Brownlow. It was very disappointing. I do not perceive why they can not give it back to him. I do not know (all the guidelines) however I am unable to perceive why they can not give it back to him,” Gumbleton informed Information Corp.

“With the drug saga he’s the one individual I can swear by coronary heart that it affected him loads. If anybody says it affected them extra, I extremely doubt it. I noticed some fairly unhappy occasions with him, however he is taken it on board now and he is bought over it. It is exceptional what he is achieved to recover from it and get back into the AFL media world. It was a troublesome time.”

McGuire, nonetheless, strongly disagrees with Gumbleton, a former No.2 choose within the draft, and Sheedy.

The ex Collingwood president says the ‘fairest’ ingredient of the Brownlow is there for a cause.

“I used to be in a presidents’ assembly when this was all occurring and it got here out that the Essendon gamers had been suspended for a yr and I truly mentioned at the time ‘what does that imply for Jobe Watson?’, and nobody had considered it,” McGuire informed 9’s Eddie and Jimmy podcast.

“And sadly for Jobe, there’s one rule on the Brownlow Medal … if you happen to get suspended, for no matter, you are out.

“I am devastated for Jobe. The second they have been suspended, he misplaced his proper to the Brownlow Medal. Full cease. There isn’t any method round it.”

Geelong champion Jimmy Bartel, who received the Brownlow Medal in 2007, feels Sheedy’s swipe at Mitchell and Cotchin was uncalled for.

“Do I share the identical opinion (as Sheedy)? No. Do I believe Jobe Watson ought to have misplaced his Brownlow? In all probability not, however I’ve by no means been fully throughout all of the intimate particulars of the investigation at Essendon,” Bartel mentioned.

“My preliminary sense once I heard Sheedy’s feedback is that it minimises what Mitchell and Cotchin have achieved and I do not like that.

“They have been put in distinctive and troublesome circumstances. Do I believe they’re worthy Brownlow Medallists? Sure I do. I additionally assume Jobe Watson is a worthy Brownlow Medallist, and sure it appears like I am sitting on the fence.

“When folks come out and minimise Sam Mitchell and Trent Cotchin, I really feel uncomfortable with that, however I additionally really feel uncomfortable for Jobe Watson as nicely.

“I do not know why it must be dragged up. We all know Sheedy is as Essendon as Essendon may be. He is at all times going to push the envelope with defending his patch. I do not see what’s to achieve from giving the broadside to Mitchell and Cotchin.”

McGuire agreed with Bartel, saying “(Sheedy) is incorrect. Completely incorrect”, on Mitchell and Cotchin.

Mitchell has beforehand mentioned he has “combined feelings” about being awarded the 2012 Brownlow.

“I suppose there are two points. One is the way in which it is occurred with Essendon and Jobe, you will have a good bit empathy for him and his household, notably his dad who I’ve met via footy,” Mitchell informed Fox Footy in 2016.

“The second portion is clearly to be named a Brownlow Medallist is one thing that does not occur on daily basis, so with my household and mates I am positive I’ll have a while to get pleasure from it over time.”