'Right thing' Blues boss did as AFL icon Mick Malthouse reacts to lewd photo scandal

Australian footy icon Mick Malthouse has defended former Carlton president Luke Sayers after the latter quit amid a lewd photo scandal.

Sayers parted ways with the Blues on Wednesday despite denying he had posted a photo of male genitalia on his X account.

Sayers says he was hacked, and the AFL integrity unit found he was compromised in the post which was quickly deleted.

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But despite that, he decided to walk away from the job just weeks out from the start of the AFL season.

Malthouse - who coached the Blues for two seasons a decade ago - believes Sayers made the right choice.

"He's a decent person, for a start, and there are two things being dragged through the mud," Malthouse told Nine's Today.

"One would be his name and his family's, so I'm expecting he would to alleviate that for starters.

"And also the Carlton football club. They've got a job to do, I think they've got a real chance of winning the premiership this year, and they don't need anything tied around them dragging them backwards.

"It is interesting the chronological order of this - he was cleared, then he quit. I think that's very noble of him.

"I believe probably something like that had to happen, given the circumstances.

"I think now this will be clear for Carlton and for his family."

The Blues are considered a genuine premiership chance in 2025 and Malthouse says the Sayers exit will allow the Blues to focus on what lies ahead.

He also says the Sayers family will be better equipped to deal with the photo scandal out of the public spotlight.

"The pressure on his family would have been enormous, and on himself - he's got his business to run," Malthouse said.

"He's a decent bloke, he's been in a position at Carlton for a number of years, and I do expect there would be a bit of pressure from Carlton.

"But also the fact he wants Carlton to have clean air going forward. They've got a real chance to do something this year.

"The longer he stays in that position... the more attention is going to be drawn to him, as opposed to what's happening on the field.

"I do think it's the right thing. I think he's done the right thing for him, his family, and the football club."

Carlton opens its AFL season against Richmond on March 13.