WHY THE ROOS WERE JUSTIFIED IN THEIR PURSUIT OF BLAKEY

Jon Ralph

North Melbourne president Sonja Hood has made two significant decisions within 41 days that show her club is all in on winning a premiership instead of popularity contests.

First the Roos sacked Alastair Clarkson – and gave him a brutal backhander on the way out when it was apparent he was on the nose with players, as well as the club hierarchy.

Then as the Roos landed Pullman Five member Nick Blakey, her board rubber-stamped that contentious move.

They did so fully aware that there is still some chance that Blakey could be charged by Victoria Police as part of that investigation.

If so it would be a complete disaster of North Melbourne’s own making – importing someone else’s controversy ahead of a court case that would likely drag on well into next season.

But the Roos and Hood have taken a calculated risk that Blakey will not be charged and in fact will be the missing piece in their premiership puzzle.

After missing out on so many stars over so many years – it was a $12m risk (over eight seasons) they would feel well entitled to take.

They would have done so fully aware how off-field issues can hijack a club after dealing with the disastrous Tarryn Thomas episode only years ago.

But as the Herald Sun has reported recently, the likelihood of those charges being upheld is less likely than in the days after the event.

It just won’t be popular with all of the fan base and it will require the club to strongly justify why they were so keen to be the only club who ended up trading for one of the Pullman Five members.

Blakey has remained disgruntled with the club over his sanction and the way in which he believes he was treated in the aftermath.

The question will be whether the full story ever does emerge in a way that would allow Blakey to justify his stance – and prove his limited involvement on the night in question.

From a football perspective this made so much sense for the Roos – securing a star in his prime at 26 years of age who moves to the club like his father John did 23 years before him.

Denis Pagan famously said 30 years ago that you don’t win a premiership with a team of choir boys but football has undergone a transformation since the wild old days of the 1980s and 1990s.

The Roos clearly feel the upside is worth the potential fallout that they have taken on with this seismic trade but risks still abound.

WHY NORTH’S TRADE OF BLAKEY SENDS THE WRONG MESSAGE

Aneeka Simonis

North Melbourne’s decision to bring Nick Blakey to the club while he remains under active investigation over the Pullman Hotel alleged sex assault sends the wrong message.

Gendered violence is one of the biggest issues facing this country and AFL clubs should understand that their actions carry weight far beyond the field.

Football clubs have enormous influence over how boys and men understand power, status and masculinity.

Research shows that male-dominated institutions can reinforce gender inequality and, normalise sexist attitudes, and there have been too many cases of current or former players committing violence against women.

Every person is entitled to the presumption of innocence.

But unlike Riley Bice, who police have explicitly cleared of any wrongdoing, the police have made no such statement in relation to Blakey and the other Swans players involved and the investigation into the alleged incident is still ongoing.

North Melbourne presents itself as a club that celebrates the AFLW and values female leadership.

It is the only AFL club with both a female president and a female chief executive.

That is why its decision to take on Blakey, not to mention handing him a significant pay rise with a new contract, is so jarring and may feel like a betrayal to women and to many supporters.

It also sends a damaging message to boys on the cusp of manhood who follow the game closely.

It suggests that respect for women and standards of behaviour are flexible and that serious allegations can be pushed aside when privilege and talent are involved.