AFL boss Gillon McLachlan says he did not mean to insult Carlton player Lachie Henderson when he termed his departure from the Blues as "undisciplined" and "unnecessary" last week, and would like to share a drink with the player's offended mother.
McLachlan has since talked with Henderson, and attempted to speak with the footballer's mum, Vonnie, who condemned the league chief publicly for being "completely and utterly out of line".
"I actually ran into Lachie Henderson during the week and I was really pleased to do so. It came off as a bit personal. It wasn't about Lachie. It was about expressing my issue with the fact that he's not playing the last three weeks of footy, which is regrettable and I don't like it," McLachlan told Fairfax radio on Friday, on the same slot where he aired the surprisingly pointed comments last week.
"The NRL players say they're sort of leaving half way through the year and I don't want that in our game. But it wasn't supposed to be personal towards Lachie and I was pleased to be able to say that to him and have a good chat."
McLachlan said he had left a voice message for Vonnie Henderson and while the pair hadn't spoken, the AFL chief said he'd like to share a coffee or a glass of wine with her.
The AFL Players Association also condemned McLachlan last week for his comments about the circumstances of the key forward, who had told Carlton he was prepared to play at VFL level for the remainder of the season after informing the club of his desire to find a new football home.
The Blues instead cut ties immediately with Henderson. Within 24 hours he had packed his belongings and left the club he played at for over six seasons.
"I got Vonnie's message bank, but hopefully she knows that it wasn't supposed to be as personal as it came off towards Lachie. It was an expression broadly that I think that our players coming out and then not playing is wrong. But I was glad to be able to clear the air," McLachlan said on Friday before attending a meeting of the AFL Commission in Tasmania.
"I didn't know this, but I think she's from down near Birregurra where my mother lives, and I've got a little block, so hopefully we can have a coffee … or a glass of wine. It sounds like she and my mother would get on famously."
In the guest slot on 3AW before McLachlan, Network Seven chairman Kerry Stokes repeated that the AFL should start the grand final at twilight if it wanted to maximise audience; a view he put forward when a new $2.5 billion broadcast deal was announced a fortnight ago.
"If the AFL really want to be the highest-rating sporting event again, they'll need to think of a twilight night game," he said.
"It's got nothing to do with what I want, that's what the viewers will watch."
