6 August 2008

Victoria University's Bob Stewart says Allan Didak and Heath Shaw will bear the wrath of Collingwood and all dinkie-di AFL fans for breaking one of the game's strongest traditions.

"Mateship has been at the heart of the game since it began 150 years ago," says Stewart.

"It doesn't matter that they were together and over the limit. It doesn't even matter that they crashed their vehicle, behaved unprofessionally, and lied to the police and the media."

"But lying to their team mates is what could see them come unstuck," says Stewart.

"Mateship is an Australian value that has been ingrained in AFL since the beginning. As the Pie's song goes:

"Side by side we stick together,
to uphold The Magpies name."

"It's a pity Didak and Shaw didn't learn the meaning of the words," says Stewart.

Bob Stewart is an Associate Professor at Victoria University specialising in Sport Management research.

He is available for interview.

He is one of the co-authors of a new book published by Penguin, documenting the history of AFL: 'A National Game, The History of Australian Rules Football', which will be launched today.

Media Contacts:
Ms Christine White, Media Manager,
Marketing & Communications Department, Victoria University
Ph: (03) 9919 4322; mobile: 0434 602 884

Andy Gash, Snr. Media Officer,
Marketing & Communications Department, Victoria University
Ph: (03) 9919 4950; mobile: 0411 255 900