Newman slams Goodes over booing saga

AFL champion Adam Goodes is ill equipped to handle the booing saga that he provoked and has gone into “hiding”, according to Footy Show host John ‘Sam’ Newman.

Newman suggested that fans were persistently booing Goodes, who has reportedly contemplated retirement and will miss the game against the Crows after being given extended leave, because he had made the game political and called claims that fans were racist “gratuitously stupid”.

“I would suggest that the people boo Adam Goodes because he’s turned their game into a political forum and people go to the football to get away from everything, as a release, as an outlet and they don’t want to have to put up with political statements of any sort,” he said.

Newman spoke to Goodes as “one Australian to another”, saying the Swans champion was not as important as he thought he was and was guilty of taking himself far too seriously.

“If you’re going to provoke people, that is by the gesture of spear throwing at a crowd (in reference to Goodes’ war cry celebration during a game against Carlton in May) you better not be surprised if you get what you wish for and that’s a reaction.”

“Unfortunately, you’re not well enough equipped to deal with the fracas and the saga that you’ve caused.”

“You’re just not capable of dealing with it hence the fact that you’ve gone into hiding, you’re not playing anymore.”

Newman said Goodes should have united the country as a former Australian of the year.

“It is on you as an Australian of the year to unite and placate people not to divide and be a provocateur.”