Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This is your town. This is your station. This is Waitley.
It is St Kilda Membership Day. Saints 2026 General Admission Memberships are 50% off today only. Visit saintsmembership.com.au and join the march. You've heard from Ross Lyon as he arrived to work at Moorabbin today. The Chief Executive of the Saints is Carl Delina. Carl, good to have you on the program. Welcome.
Yeah, thanks, Gerard. Great to have a chat.
When did you become aware of events between Ross Lyon and his Indigenous players today?
last night, I think just before Caro was going to air with it. I think at least she'd done the courtesy and called Ross and given him a heads up and gave him a chance to give his version of events, which was good. But yeah, I had no line of sight of it before then.
How could you not have been in that loop as the chief executive in an issue that could have, by the coach's own admission, threatened his position in the job?
Well, I think the good thing in seeing the way it all panned out was it was a pretty innocent oversight by Ross, not meaning any harm. It shows that he's running a pretty safe environment with our First Nations boys where they were comfortable to raise it with him and discuss it and just sort it out harmoniously. So I think they just sorted it out between themselves like any
any mishap, and, you know, it was a positive outcome. So I don't think, even though, you know, Ross said, yeah, he was very emotional about it because the last thing he wants to do is upset our First Nations players, who he's very close with. It's one of those things, you know, a matter in the workplace that got resolved and didn't need to be elevated beyond that.
Should it have been on the Chief Executive's desk?
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Chapter 2: What events led to the controversy involving Ross Lyon and Indigenous players?
Well, I think if it wasn't resolved, yes. But, you know, there's a lot of things that go on in a workplace and people have disagreements, but they'll sort them out. And so not everything, you know, raises to the surface.
Have you spoken to Ross or the players involved from last night or this morning?
Not as yet. I was speaking more with Lenny Hayes, our head of football, about it. And he's across all of that. So I think... I think everyone's pretty comfortable with where it's landed. The players obviously love Ross and I think came out in support of him. So I don't think they're holding any concerns about the issue.
Did the comment constitute casual racism, Carl, in your opinion?
Well, you have to look through the lens of the person receiving the comment when you look at that. So there'd be people out there going, oh, really? Was that very serious?
Yes.
And Ross didn't think anything of it at the time. But it is very challenging. And as we've seen in various instances, it's how it's received more so than how it's delivered. And that's always the challenge with casual racism or unconscious bias. And people don't think of it, but probably need to be more aware of it.
What would have happened if the players had said they couldn't continue with Ross's coach?
I don't think that's a realistic possibility, so I'm not going to comment on that.
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Chapter 3: How does Carl Dilena view the resolution of the Ross Lyon incident?
of the hard suspension, if you like. So theoretically, he should be available this coming week. And then he's got the suspended sentence that hangs over that. So yeah, as far as I know, if he's ready to go and that's really up to the coaches, then it should be this coming weekend.
What did you think of the finding, the rationale that was expressed that ended up with the result of the chairman being sacked by the AFL of the Appeals Board?
Yeah, I think like everyone else, I mean, it was very unfortunate wording and sort of we didn't agree with that wording as the rationale for the decision. I mean, a lot has been said about it. The AFL has come out, various people have come out, so I won't add to all of that. But, you know, we're in an industry where, yeah, we want, yeah, there's no place for homophobic language.
You know, we want an industry that's, inclusive and a safe environment for everyone, whether they be players, staff or supporters. So, yeah, we're very much behind the themes and the push around that and respecting all communities. And I think, you know, unfortunately, the process that went through to get there was...
Yeah, difficult, unfortunate, and had a much bigger impact than I think it should have had if it was handled in a different way.
Were you grateful for the quality of mercy that the appeals board did show separate to the rationale that was expressed?
Look, it's a strange one, because I sat through all the evidence of the first tribunal hearing, and I was quite surprised, to be honest, with the finding. And, you know, we consulted with various people and, you know, including two former court judges who thought the first decision was a shambles and should be appealed and should be overturned.
And that was the situation we were dealing with from a legal perspective. But I think there was a reluctance on the appeals board to overturn something that a tribunal's done, especially when it relates to assessing witnesses that they can't reassess, so they can't actually overturn that.
It almost seemed to be that they saw the injustice in perhaps what might have happened and were trying to rectify that. But that's purely speculation on my part.
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