The war of words between sports broadcaster Brad Hardie and Fremantle Football Club player Hayden Ballantyne has continued, with Hardie appealing to Freo fans “not to shoot the messenger”.

Small forward Ballantyne accused Hardie of fabricating a story about a club-wide drinking ban at the Dockers, after star recruit Jesse Hogan was suspended from playing round one with the club due to “poor alcohol decisions”.

Hayden Ballantyne has been in and out of the side. Credit:AAP

“It's a complete fabrication, I don't know where Brad Hardie gets all of this absolute garbage from but he has to have a good look at himself I think,” Ballantyne told Racing Radio earlier this week.

“He's having a crack at players and all sorts of sports people around Australia where it's just absolute garbage. I think he has to have a good look at himself and [some of the] - I can't say what I want to say - but some of the garbage that he puts out in these forums.”