Hanson backs McGuire over drowning 'joke'

Under-fire Collingwood boss Eddie McGuire has found the support of one prominent woman for his joke about drowning AFL journalist Caroline Wilson.

Pauline Hanson says it was obvious McGuire was joking, and she's had similar thoughts herself.

"Some of these journalists, I'd drown half of them," she told the Seven Network on Monday.

Hanson, who is standing again for the Senate, said she had been subjected to many similar comments over the years and people needed to toughen up.

She said the McGuire incident had been blown completely out of proportion.

McGuire, North Melbourne chairman James Brayshaw and All Australian selector Danny Frawley are at the centre of a controversy after suggesting Wilson should be the only participant in next year's charity ice slide at the AFL's Freeze MND charity match.