Outgoing AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan has hit out at Sam Newman's controversial comments regarding the Welcome to Country, calling the pre-game ceremony "a glistening part of our game".
Newman found himself in hot water after urging Australians to boo or slow hand clap during the Welcome to Country at AFL games, with the suggestions quickly shut down by the league boss on Thursday.
"I'm not going to dignify those sort of individual responses out in the community other than to say I disagree very definitively," McLachlan said.
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"I think that the Welcome to Country across the finals series and the anthem have been respected significantly … people stand, they clap, they feel included.
"It rolls into the anthem and then it rolls into the start of our game, it is a glistening part of our game now."
The AFL boss' response came after both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews condemned Newman's views on Thursday.
McLachlan confirmed the ceremonies will remain in the game, irrespective of Newman or anyone else's displeasure. The CEO went on to praise the AFL's "proper" fans who respect the ceremony.
"It's been spectacular football, spectacular crowds and the pre-match has been respected by all our supporters and then launched into the game … I couldn't be happier with how the finals series has been playing out," McLachlan said.
"I think that our supporters know where they stand, they've been the proper football supporters who are at the games, (they) have been totally respectful."
Newman, who captained Geelong in his 300-game career, doubled down on his controversial comments in a radio interview on Thursday morning.
"It is an absolute hoax, it's a rort, the Welcome to Country. Why do we have to be welcomed to the country we live in? Why is that? It is just a mark of division," he said on 3AW.
"The public have had a gutful of people telling us how to live our lives, particularly footballing organisations.
"We like to go to the football and watch the game without being told to vote for the gay marriage proposal … without being told to vote for the Voice. Why do they get involved?"
Newman is a two-time Geelong best and fairest winner and was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2002.
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