AFL boss Andrew Dillon's pointed message for Dan Gorringe following Docherty leak

AFL chief Andrew Dillon feels the same standards of journalistic integrity should apply to sports media influencers like Dan Gorringe, as they would for anybody else.

It comes in the wake of the ex-Suns player leaking a voice message from former Carlton captain Sam Docherty, slamming the club with an expletive-filled rant in the wake of their Opening Round loss to Sydney.

Docherty did not know the audio would be played, and was later scratched from a Blues function because of it.

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After a week of standing firmly by his actions, and attacking those critical of him, it took that situation for Gorringe to issue a public apology and urged Carlton to ban him, and reinstate Docherty.

He then took out a full page ad in the AFL Record, stating "old media takes, safe and neat, suits and ties in corporate seats, DDF (Dan Does Footy) in the stands, talking footy with the fans".

Gorringe was then spotted alongside Docherty in a corporate box during Carlton's win over Richmond on Thursday night.

The saga has raised a lot of questions, with Docherty's brutal honesty appreciated by fans, but playing the audio without consent has drawn heavy criticism.

Dillon admits he hasn't reached out to him directly, but called for higher standards than we have seen in the last week.

"I haven't had a word with (Gorringe) directly," Dillon told SEN.

"But as media evolves, I think you've got different people talking to different audiences.

"But I think everyone at some stage in this game, I think in the journalistic game, there's standards that you have to uphold.

"As we all adapt to whether it's new media or whatever you want to call it, I don't think anyone is above basic journalistic standards as well."

Gorringe referred to the likes of Matthew Lloyd, Leigh Matthews and Gerard Whateley as "rats" in the aftermath of the leaked audio.

He then called himself an "idiot" after the Blues' booting of Docherty from the round one function.

Docherty, who captained the club for three seasons, is now not scheduled for any Carlton events until round six's clash with Collingwood, where he will be involved in the Peter Mac Cup, given he serves on the charity's board.

Speaking in the aftermath, he said he stood by his comments, but would have to "lie in the bed that was made for me".