Veteran journalist Caroline Wilson believes AFL clubs freezing out Daisy Pearce from their changerooms is a sign of teams’ respect to the women’s football great.
Pearce, who works both as an assistant at Geelong under Chris Scott and as a commentator for Channel 7, has been in the spotlight in recent weeks after two sides – Richmond and Brisbane – banned her from having access to their changerooms after games to deny her from performing media duties due to a conflict of interest.
But Wilson thinks it’s ultimately an endorsement of how highly regarded Pearce is in the footy community.
Asked what Pearce being banned from changerooms says about women in football, Wilson told the Don’t Shoot the Messenger podcast: “I think it says they’re respected.
“I think the fact that some clubs are saying they don’t want Daisy Pearce in her other role as a Channel 7 commentator in the rooms is saying that they respect her as a potential senior coach and as a senior member of Geelong’s coaching staff.
“People say it’s petty and: ‘What do you really see in football dressing rooms anyway?’ Journos are in there, but if clubs are feeling uncomfortable, it means they rate her footy knowledge and expertise.
“They’re saying: ‘We don’t want to start a trend of opposition coaches in our rooms’.
“If they saw her just as a token then they probably wouldn’t care.”
Pearce’s move to Geelong already forced Channel 7 to switch up its coverage, although the network’s managing director Lewis Martin has said it respects clubs’ decisions such as denying Pearce access to their rooms.
The former AFLW Melbourne skipper is highly regarded for her footy IQ and has even been touted as a potential future senior coach of a men’s AFL team.
The ban on Pearce has already created ample discussion in footy circles including Richmond great and fellow Channel 7 caller Matthew Richardson arguing Pearce has been unfairly “singled out” by AFL clubs, while dual All-Australian Kane Cornes believes it’s forced her to choose between coaching and media duties.
“I think she has to choose one or the other,” Cornes said on SEN last month.
“I look at the schedule of an assistant coach – they work extraordinary hours. So personally, I don’t know how she’s doing both.
“I think she has the capabilities to be a senior coach somewhere down the road. That’s not going to happen if she continues down this (commentary) road.
“It’s topical because clubs have banned her – and I think it’s the right call from clubs to do that. But if she wants to do it, I think she’s got to make a choice one way or another. Eventually, I think that will come.
“It feels like her passion is coaching, but I think it’s unsustainable to think she‘ll be able to do both effectively. If she wants to be great at one, she’s going to have to choose.”
