PLAYERS like Lance Franklin will reduce their community involvement if they are subject to the type of publicity the Hawthorn forward received this week, says club vice president Geoff Harris.



Franklin was on the front page of the Herald Sun on Thursday after being accused of intimidating behaviour towards a woman in a Melbourne bar.



He was labelled an "absolute disgrace of a human being" by the woman after the Saturday night incident.



Harris said Franklin was backed "110 per cent" by the club's board and warned that players would simply step out of the public eye if they continued to face such scrutiny.



"We are getting to the stage where I think that players like Buddy will simply refuse to mingle in the community," Harris said, at the club's function before Sunday's clash with Gold Coast at the MCG.



"If this is the dividend of them going out and the slightest misdemeanour or the slightest altercation … if it's blown up by digital media or Facebook, if it gets to that, then I'm afraid the stars will be staying home.



"Or, it will end up like it is in the [United] States where they have special rooms in restaurants and hotels, locked away with security guards at the front and no one can get access because that will be the dividend."



Harris also took aim at the newspaper that published the article's full front page lead on the incident.



"Not a quarter page, not a half page – a full page," he said.



"Now, a newspaper in my mind by definition is a newspaper. Newspapersare there in my mind to educate and inform readers on issues that matter… be it serious issues like the civil war in Syria, global news,breaking news, entertainment, sport or whatever.



"All I can say is from the Hawthorn footy club's perspective, Buddy weback you 110 per cent as a clubman, and I can say also as vice presidentand as a board member … if one of us at the club is criticised, we areall criticised.



"We're all in this together at Hawthorn. All of one and one for all so Ihope Buddy gets that message from all of us in the room who supporthim.



"I say give this paper the red card."



The club sent out a statement on Thursday that said it had "concluded an investigation on Monday into a complaint made by a woman against Lance Franklin following an incident between the pair at the weekend".



It said the "conversation escalated following a comment made by the woman that Franklin took particular offence to", and the matter was closed.



Franklin responded to the incident on Twitter to indicate there were two sides to the story. The club confirmed he had contacted the woman – Nicky Rowsell - on his own accord.



"Maybe the @Heraldsun should ask Nicky and publish why she approached me and what she said," Franklin wrote during the week.



"I am not for one minute saying how I reacted was right but when someone comes up and verbally attacks me and the people I care about for no apparent reason I think its only natural to defend yourself.



"But I guess that's not an appealing story is it."



Harris said Franklin was already generous with the time he dedicated to fans.



"I can assure you Buddy Franklin is a lovely young man and he's very generous with his time, with fans, for autographs and photos, and fans are like bees to a honey pot with him whenever he steps out," he said.



"I've seen dozens and dozens of people lined up seeking photographs and autographs with him. He's very patient and very respectful.



"Sometimes, enough is enough. People's privacy sometimes should be respected."



Jennifer Phelan is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow her on Twitter @AFL_JenPhelan

Up Next Footage emerges of new racism incident Why not share? label.close Share This Article Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Copy link Link copied to clipboard Share Share this article