‘Disgrace’: Premiership hero snubbed from grand final send off
Saturday’s grand final saw numerous retired players from 2025 and 2026 farewelled with a lap of honour around the MCG in the lead-up to the game.
One player who did not get an invitation to be a part of that celebration however was West Coast’s Jamie Cripps, who retired during the season after tearing his ACL.
Jamie Cripps watches on from home after being snubbed. Instagram
A 2018 Eagles premiership hero and 2025 club leading goal kicker, the 34-year-old watched on from home while others were driven around the MCG to be farewelled by 100,000 fans, moments before Kylie Minogue took to the stage.
His wife, Olivia Cripps, took to Instagram to post a video of her husband wearing his premiership medal and standing by the television alongside their two children waving as if part of the festivities.
He gives the camera a thumbs up and a fist pump, while the TV shows Rhys Stanley and Todd Goldstein making their way around the MCG.
Upon seeing the Instagram story, West Australian journalist Tim Gossage posted “surely not”, realising Cripps had been snubbed.
Replying to Gossage, one fan posted “that’s a disgrace”. Another wrote “that’s ordinary from the AFL”.
The snubbing was not for a lack of cars. Retirees from 2025 were included to ensure they didn’t miss out on the chance to be honoured.
This included Freo great Nathan Fyfe, Gold Coast’s Alex Sexton, Essendon’s Dylan Shiel and Bulldog Liam Jones, among others.
Adelaide champion Taylor Walker and Collingwood premiership star Steele Sidebottom were reserved for the final car.
In total, 10 cars were packed with a pair of retirees and their kids while Cripps waved from his living room.
The AFL and the West Coast Eagles have been reached for comment on the snubbing. This article will be updated with their responses.
Cripps played 277 games across his career, beginning at St Kilda, after being selected in the 2010 draft.
He would go on to kick 323 goals across 261 games for the Eagles, becoming one of their premiership heroes. He sits sixth all-time on West Coast’s goal kicking leaderboard.
