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St Kilda goalsneak Stephen Milne again had words with a coach from an AFL opposition side on Sunday, but Fremantle insist there was nothing untoward in Dean Wallis’ remarks.
Milne was last week fined $3000 for insulting Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse at quarter-time during the round-three opener.
Milne insulted both Malthouse and Collingwood assistant coach Paul Licuria, while Malthouse called Milne a “f…ing rapist” and was fined $7500. Licuria was fined $3000 for using aggressive language towards Milne.
The Saints star again found himself within speaking range of an opposition coach during the warm-up at Etihad Stadium on Sunday, as he spoke with Wallis, a Fremantle assistant coach.
Dockers coach Mark Harvey confirmed the pair spoke, but said the exchange was light-hearted and was nothing but good-natured banter.
Wallis and Milne know each other through time at both the Saints – where Wallis was once an assistant coach – and at Essendon, where Milne played reserves games while Wallis’ playing career was winding up.
“You know they’re ex-teammates don’t you?” Harvey said in the post-game press conference.
“Sometimes you come across people you’ve been involved with and you give them a wink or a laugh or a joke … we’re not too sanitized with all those sort of things are we?”
“It was a bit of tongue in cheek … I actually think everyone appreciates what happens in football clubs internally and there’s a lot of respect most of the time.
“Sometimes you can share a lighter moment, whatever that means.”
Milne kicked five goals in St Kilda’s 16.12 (108) to 14.9 (93) win.
Harvey said he had no problem with one of his assistant coaches speaking with an opposition player before a game.
“I’m saying there’s nothing in it,” he said.
“I’m saying let it go. I gave Milney a wink in the warm-up and he had a cheeky grin … unfortunately he kicked five goals.”
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon also said he had no problem.
“We’ve all been around the traps for a while and Dean Wallis, he’s a good knock-about bloke, (was) a really good footballer and he coached at St Kilda, so you tend to forge some friendships and some are closerm” he said.
“I’d just take him at face value and believe Dean Wallis and Mark Harvey.”
Lyon praised Milne for his five-goal haul, which included two goals in the last quarter and a handball to Adam Schneider for what proved the sealer.
“I thought he had to fight for everything he got tonight, he didn’t get too many on a platter from anywhere, so it was good,” Lyon said.
An AFL spokesman said the league did not expect to investigate the incident.
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