Stripping accreditation for lies a 'good idea', says AFL boss

This comes after former Brownlow medallist Brad Hardie told the media that a representative of Fremantle coach Ross Lyon had approached Collingwood about the coaching position.

Both Lyon and incumbent Magpies coach Nathan Buckley rejected the claim angrily, and McLachlan says there should be accountability for falseness, including confiscating accreditations.

"I actually thought it was a good idea," he told 3AW.

"I think there is responsibility everywhere. Whether it be our players, coaches, officials, everyone is held incredibly accountable everyday.

"But we are talking about people's livelihoods and careers, and this allegation talks to integrity.

"If someone is making things up that has such significant ramifications, there has to be an accountability for that. Taking accreditation away seems to be the very logical outcome of that.

"I reckon it's worth looking at."

McLachlan does not think that the AFL is being "Stalinist" but says that with a story that can affect someone's life, members of the media should be more ethical and make sure what they are saying is correct.

"I don't think we're being Stalinist but the point that Nathan [Buckley] is making is that if something is of significance I think you've got to be as accurate as you can," he said.

"This has an impact on people's lives and goes to Nathan's ability to be a coach next year, goes to the integrity of Ross Lyon who is under contract.

"There is an ethical responsibility of the journalist not to make stuff up.

"We have an accountability for people making things up. The theory of accountability for people making stuff up should hold."

The AFL boss says that the reducing media cycle is causing journalists to break stories much earlier than in the past, but he stresses the vital importance of being correct.

"The urgency of a reduced media cycle is causing people to go a lot earlier than they used to," he said.

"There is a responsibility to make sure you are right."