Brisbane co-captain Hugh McCluggage concedes regret for including Jaxon Prior’s partner in whiteboard saga

Hugh McCluggage says the Brisbane Lions regret including Jaxon Prior’s partner in their opposition analysis which got leaked to the public last week, but insists the club’s culture should not be in question.

The co-captain on Tuesday addressed both the Essendon whiteboard list that raised eyebrows and investigation into draftee Koby Evans’ use of a homophobic slur in a VFL game.

Asked if there is a cultural issue at the two-time defending premiers, McCluggage poured cold water over it.

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“I don’t agree with that at all,” McCluggage said of the suggestion.

“I think we can see the bad things at times and they take up a lot of the coverage, but there’s a lot of good as well.

“We’ve had a lot of journalists and outside people come into our club over the last two years and I think all of them would say that it’s a really inclusive environment, it’s a fun environment.

“We set the foundations and the rules, and sometimes there are going to be people who make mistakes — it’s life, that’s what happens in all walks of life, and when it happens, we educate, we learn and we get better.

“As leaders, we play a massive role in making sure that that happens.”

A photo of a whiteboard at their Brighton Homes Arena base, listing Bombers’ players strengths and weaknesses, was leaked by a member of the public in the lead-up to Saturday’s defeat of Essendon in Melbourne.

Brisbane’s whiteboard was leaked by the father of an Auskick player. Credit: 7NEWS

“It was pretty strange when you win a game and then you come off the ground and there’s guys getting worded up about what’s going to get asked, something we haven’t dealt with before,” McCluggage said.

“It’s obviously regrettable that that got out. It wasn’t meant to be in the public, we’ll learn from it, privacy and security needs to be lifted around the place.

“But it’s got plenty of air time and we’ve worked our way through it pretty well.

But the All-Australian midfielder conceded listing former teammate Jaxon Prior’s partner as a “strength” was a mistake.

The pair were housemates when Prior was at the Lions.

“I’ve spoken to ‘Priz’,” McCluggage said.

“If we had our time again, we wouldn’t have involved his partner in it, it’s as simple as that.

“But things stand in a really good place. I’ve called him, I’ve spoken to him about his partner as well, and we’ll leave it at that, out of respect for the two of them.”

Jaxon Prior played at the Lions for five years. Credit: ADAM TRAFFORD/AAPIMAGE

A remorseful Evans is the latest AFL player facing suspension for homophobic language after an incident involving the 18-year-old during last Saturday’s VFL game against Coburg.

It comes less than a fortnight after the league sacked its appeals board chairman Will Houghton, in the aftermath of St Kilda player Lance Collard’s ban for calling a VFL opponent a “f****** f****t” last month.

Houghton was axed after saying racist, sexist or homophobic language was “commonplace” in the AFL when adjudicating St Kilda’s appeal.

Koby Evans is under investigation for an alleged homophobic slur. Credit: Instagram

“We’ve seen these incidences in the AFL industry, but I don’t think it’s isolated to that,” McCluggage said.

“I think leaders in every walk of life have a responsibility to call this behaviour and this language out that’s offensive to people.

“We want to create environments where everyone feels welcome, everyone feels safe and we’re probably not where we want to be as a society yet in that area.

“It’s disappointing it’s happening in the AFL environment, and hopefully everyone learns from this, not just elite sports.”