Eddie McGuire just can’t let it go. The TV everywhere man and former Collingwood president is still fuming about the Western Australian government’s refusal to let him and his two sons into the state for the AFL grand final, and believes he’s a victim of tall poppy syndrome.
Speaking on Footy Classified on Channel Nine, McGuire said he was in negotiations with the WA government to do a range of shows in Perth including Millionaire Hot Seat and a grand final special involving Crown Casino, Channel 9, Fox Footy and the Herald Sun.
“I just want to clear one thing up, because disappointingly my two boys have been dragged into this who are professional producers on here and Fox Footy. And the reason they came into play is because it was a smorgasbord board – we were going to bring 50 people if we did Millionaire Hot Seat,” McGuire said on Footy Classified.
“That got reduced because they weren’t going to let that happen and it was too dear to bring it over – they don’t have the facilities in Perth to be able to do it.
“In the end we thought no don’t worry about it, and only one application went in and it was for me. One, I was disappointed that that came out because they were in confidence conversations. And two, in the end it was seen to be a bit of big noting against me.”
McGuire said he understood the decision but consideredit “unfair” because the AFL asked him to go.
“I’m happy for the decision to be made for the good of the Western Australian people. No one understands greater people who have stopped from going in to see loved ones because of Covid, I had to watch for a month and put on a space suit to go and say goodbye to my mother last year in stage four – I get it better than anyone,” McGuire said.
“But I went through the process, I made the application, it was declined. Do you what the next thing I did (was?) I cancelled my hotel and my flights and I said nothing more until it got out today.
“I don’t see it, I think it’s unfair to be perfectly honest. I think I do qualify to be over there for all the things I would’ve brought.
“The AFL asked me to be available to go to help bring the fizz and the show business to what’s going on. I was happy to do so, (but instead) I stay here for the next two weeks and I do my show. I don’t care that much.”
WA premier Mark McGowan had joked off the McGuire decision, saying it was to protect him from Western Australians.
“Mark’s a politician, he’s doing his bit. I can understand the situation where they saying we can’t let people who are Western Australians. So we’ll show that we’re going to be tough and we’ll give Eddie McGuire one, because I’m an easy hit,” he said.
“Seriously, I was going to do half a dozen shows for half a dozen outlets. But more importantly, I was doing it in conjunction with the WA government. It got knocked on the head by the WA chief commissioner, and I go I accept your position and I move on.
“I haven’t complained and I’m not complaining now, I’m explaining. They want to do that, that’s fine, and thank god they’ve only got it for one year.”
Lynne
Guest
How privileged- about time he let others have a chance to go to a GrandFinal
Lynnr
Guest
Why is the AFL Grand final contract with the MCG so binding - contracts with players and coaches aren’t worth the paper they’re written on. The break their contracts all the time.
ChrisH
Roar Rookie
His 20 and 18 year old boys are "professional producers". :laughing: :laughing: Found this definition os a producer: "Television producers coordinate and supervise all aspects of a production, from the creative to the administrative. TV producers also make the financial decisions and handle contracts, talent and bargaining agreements, and other administrative details. While producers get to be in on the fun of planning and executing a production, they also deal with troubles during production and keep everything within budget." Not bad for a couple of kids!! ????♂️ But really? Pull the other one, Ed. You know,...when I was around that age I played in a band and we did a couple of paid gigs. I sang a song at one of those gigs. Now, the song had very little range, because my singing makes Dylan sound like Pavarotti. But under Eddie's very loose definition of "professional", can I claim to be a professional singer?? ????♂️
Peter O'Donoghue
Guest
You're not complaining, Eddie? Please! Build a Bridge. You are not important.
Garry
Guest
All of these Politicians need a kick in the arse for politicising Covid. I've knocked Eddie myself from time to time, but he's no differant to the rest of us, we're all aussie battlers when it comes to just getting a fair go, he doesnt deserve any more criticism than the next bloke, unfortunately you're in the public eye Eddie. Good luck to WA.
AdamDilligafThompson
Roar Rookie
Dam i just got home at the end of 1st quarter. Go Giants.lol.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Adam hopefully they smash each other :stoked:
Fraser Gehrig's Mullet
Roar Rookie
Well said Anne! A Healthy dose of perspective! Hope you get back home soon and best wishes for your treatment. Such a horrible thing to happen to anyone, but especially with all the extra complications COVID.
Pierre-Anthony Christian
Guest
Another Eddie hater? sure sounds like it.
CJ
Roar Rookie
I find your lack of faith disturbing.......
nics
Roar Rookie
To give Eddie some credit, despite his gaffes he is not a bad caller of the game when the pies are not involved. Unlike some who are permanently stuck on 11, he knows when to change gears.
Rochelle
Guest
Team eddie the game should support him and get him in u asked him to go then get him in
RT
Roar Rookie
Good question. One they mentioned on Footy Classified as approved is Jake Niall who is employed by The Age and Fox. Hardly essential either. That's why it seems arbitrary, but you are right, it might not be. I wonder what McGuire put on his application.
Chris_S
Roar Rookie
I don't get it, isn't McGuire's show filmed in a studio. How is a studio in Perth different from a studio in Melbourne? What is the benefit to WA from this? This is like when Eddie got caught in the Pink Flamingo club in Queensland and tried to claim "it was a reconnaissance mission to find out how similar venues in Victoria can re-open in a Covid-safe way", If his lips are moving he lying.
Gary
Roar Rookie
Genuine question – is Sam McClure, et al, directly employed by the AFL, whom negotiated with the WA govt? Is McGuire a separate business entity requiring to apply for his own entry independently? If so, why should Eddie get approval over every other business person trying to enter WA from a hotspot? I don’t know the relationship between all these parties, but, I am reluctant to call it ‘arbitrary’ when it might be that he does not meet the criteria to enter WA at this point in time.
Wayne
Guest
Well perth is doing better then Sydney and I’m from perth
AdamDilligafThompson
Roar Rookie
Lmfao. They'll be back with vengeance tonight, well They'll be hoping so anyway or its going to be wery wery quiet.lol. :silly:
Charles Martin
Guest
Not to worry Eddie, WA polies are full of themselves always needing to justify their own existence especially this banana Mark McGowan. We Should put up a ring of steel around WA so THEY can’t get out. Don’t bother doing your show over there keep it here at home we need the work here in Victoria.
The PTA has disbanded
Guest
Who would win that I wonder? They both bring some pretty serious skills into the battle, but both also have some pretty lazy losses in their record. Voldemort should never have lost to Potter as often as he did, and could have belted him without a wand tbh. Vader botched it against Obi-Wan and should easily have accounted for Luke several times over. I'd still tip a bundle on Vader at the end of the day.
Anne Thomas
Guest
Ad luck Eddie you will not be the only one. I cannot even get an urgent medical exemption to come back in to SA where I live from Warnambool where there is no cases of covid. I have to got there as just been diagnosed three weeks ago with leukemia and need bo e marrow test in Warrnambool as haemotologist is in Warnambool, closer for me but waiting on SA Health for exemption. Spoke to covid hotline and told has not been in long enough to be reffered on. So suck it up and stop wingeing there are people with more to complain about