Caroline Wilson has fired back at Sam Newman, labelling him a “Neanderthal” after his scathing attack on Thursday night’s The Footy Show on the Nine Network.
Collingwood president Eddie McGuire, North Melbourne chairman James Brayshaw and All Australian selector Danny Frawley were at the centre of a public outcry this week after suggesting on Triple M that Wilson should be dunked and held under the water of the charity ice slide at the AFL’s Freeze MND charity match.
All three apologised publicly after the exchange was slammed as bullying and at odds with anti-violence against women messages.
But Newman fired a broadside at Wilson in defence of his friends, calling her an embarrassment on the Nine Network’s The Footy Show.
“I’m not surprised … the guy’s just a bit of a Neanderthal isn’t he?” Wilson told Adelaide radio station FIVEaa on Thursday.
“He lives in the past, he’s missed the point completely with all of this as he has with so many big issues in footy in recent years.
“I don’t think he did Eddie any good at all with his comments … his lack of judgement as he’s got older has really baffled me.”
Wilson said that she had met with McGuire and accepted his personal apology over the incident.
It’s not the first time Wilson and Newman have been at odds, with The Footy Show personality slammed for a skit on the show in 2008 involving a scantily-clad mannequin adorned with a picture of the Fairfax journalist.
“I think what he said about me was completely wrong but referring to people who’ve taken offence to this and written about it … as excrement, that really made me cross,” Wilson continued.
“This is what he did last time with the mannequin stunt. If that wasn’t bad enough he compounded the damage by making disgusting comments about women board members.
“That ended up costing Sam and Channel Nine hundreds of thousands of dollars, so he should be careful.”
paulywalnuts
Guest
Actually folks get anything but wiser as they get older. If anything, they get more entrenched in their rigid views and become less amenable to reason. You only need to look at the demographic breakdown of the Brexit vote to see that. For Wilson to expect Newman to improve with age is staggeringly stupid, if she really does.
northerner
Guest
actually, it's not a double standard at all. Her point is that most folks get wiser as they get older. Sam, not so much.
rasty
Guest
100 percent agree with you there, it is staggering the double standards at times.
armchair expert
Guest
Am I missing something? No one can say a bad word about Ms Wilson but she can call him a Neanderthal and attack his judgement due to his age. Pot meet kettle
The Original Buzz
Roar Rookie
Spot on.
The Original Buzz
Guest
I am 100 percent behind Caro on this one. I stopped watching the footy show after 2 or 3 episodes because of how childish they behaved and how little actual football discussion there is. Eddie has been proven to be a racist, homophobic, sexist idiot and should not be given air time. Sam Newman is worse.
Don Freo
Guest
So these men are now representative of all "strong men of influence"? That's an over-reading.
Don Freo
Guest
But you said it first. It's a powerful point. The other aspect of Caro's stance from her high horse is her name calling. Is a Neanderthal a higher or lower order than an ape? One is condemned by her and one isn't. The standard seems to be that whatever Caro says is ok and contemporary and whatever Sam says is an anachronism and offensive.
Don Freo
Guest
Perhaps age is only a niche insult, not a mainstream offense.
Don Freo
Guest
Agree with all that Milo. Don, "executed the strategy" is concise.
Don Freo
Guest
Because he keeps these conversations alive when there is not enough footy.
Ian
Guest
Channel 9 is a niche TV station for bogans.
vocans
Guest
When you get older you might hope to be more of a man than you were when you're younger. This is not ageist - it is what most of us hope for as a benefit of getting older. To become more complete, more whole, and so wiser. Caro is saying she's amazed this doesn't seem to have happened with Sam whereas it does with many others as they grow older.
DB
Guest
"less of a man" I am failing to comprehend wtf is going on.
BigAl
Guest
Sam went to Geelong Grammar you know.
vocans
Guest
Jack said it better.
Jack
Guest
woosh
Jack
Guest
comprehension fail. She's not suggesting he should be less of a man as he ages, he should be more of one. Isim's are only applicable should they imply a lacking rather than a gaining. I.e something negative
Gyfox
Guest
Every city has what jarijari calls half-wits in the media, but are really just offensive bigots whom we laugh at......Alan Jones is a classic example.
Gyfox
Guest
Every city has what you call its half-wits in the media, but are really just offensive bigots whom we laugh at......Alan Jones is a classic example.