Conn: Sheedy backlash off the mark

Kevin Sheedy ... 'It was a throwaway line.' Source: LUKAS COCH / AAP

The social media storm in a tea cup accusing Kevin Sheedy of racism comes just a fortnight after the unrepentant GWS coach met with the ambassadors of 25 countries.

Sheedy also visited the immigration department in Canberra as part of the Giants' preparations to celebrate Australia's diversity for an upcoming match against Melbourne at Skoda Stadium on August 3.

		P	W	D	L	%	Pts
1	Geelong	7	7	0	0	121.43	28
2	Essendon	7	6	0	1	151.47	24
3	Hawthorn	7	6	0	1	131.16	24
4	Port Adelaide	7	5	0	2	122.93	20
5	Sydney	7	5	0	2	121.26	20
6	Fremantle	7	5	0	2	114.95	20
7	Richmond	7	4	0	3	107.86	16
8	Collingwood	7	4	0	3	95.06	16
9	Adelaide	7	3	0	4	119.97	12
10	West Coast	7	3	0	4	112.56	12
11	Carlton	7	3	0	4	111.16	12
12	North Melbourne	7	3	0	4	109.46	12
13	Gold Coast	7	3	0	4	98.61	12
14	St Kilda	7	2	0	5	95.59	8
15	Brisbane	7	2	0	5	72.79	8
16	Bulldogs	7	1	0	6	71.10	4
17	Melbourne	7	1	0	6	55.03	4
18	Greater Western Sydney	7	0	0	7	57.41	0

So it was with a wry smile that one of the most inclusive men in the AFL, a multicultural campaigner and promoter of indigenous players, faced a Twitter backlash on Monday.

After just 5830 fans watched GWS suffer a 135-point flogging by Adelaide at Skoda Stadium on Sunday, Sheedy said: "We don't have the recruiting officer called the Immigration Department recruiting fans for the West Sydney Wanderers."

Sheedy was called a "muppet" by Wellington Phoenix's Sydney-born captain Andrew Durante, labelled a disgrace by former Socceroo Craig Foster and plenty worse by football fans.

"It was a throwaway line to make sure everybody understands that's why soccer can get such a quick crowd," Sheedy said, pointing out that most people who immigrate to Australia are from football-loving countries.

Sheedy said the 1.8 million people in western Sydney came from 200 different countries, with a third of families born overseas.

"Two weeks ago I was down in Canberra at the immigration department to find out the numbers of all the nations who have come to live in Australia to create a game against Melbourne later in the year," he said.

The fuss over Sheedy's comments has taken the focus away from his team's poor performance and equally poor crowd.

"With Penrith having 7800, Mother's Day is a very difficult day to draw a crowd, whether you're a young club like ours or playing Melbourne Storm, who has won the premiership," Sheedy said.

And the AFL continues to stand firmly behind the winless Giants, with the league's second-in-charge, chief operating officer Gill McLachlan, claiming patience is required with the young but highly talented team.

"The reality is its a long-term journey and the growing pains are exacerbated by the approach the Giants have taken to recruitment, keeping all their young talent together without the experience around to support them," said McLachlan.

"I think everyone agrees this is going to be an unbelievable football team, but when they've got injuries like they've got at the moment and they lack experience their bad days are going to be pretty tough to deal with."

McLachlan pointed out the Swans lost 27 games in a row during the early 1990s before playing in the 1996 grand final and have played in 15 of the last 18 finals series, including premierships in 2005 and last season.

"Things change quickly in football," he said. 

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