Former Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse has suggested the penalty handed down to Magpies star Jack Crisp for his leaked Snapchat messages will be minimal, saying “the embarrassment alone is a penalty”.
A viral video emerged of a person scrolling through several Snapchat images featuring a bearded Crisp with captions involving references to illicit substances and lewd messages.
While Collingwood has confirmed that it is investigating the matter alongside the AFL, Crisp is still expected to line-up for the Magpies in their round four clash against Brisbane on Thursday night.
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The AFL has confirmed that its Integrity Unit will speak to Crisp after he returns from the team’s trip to Brisbane.
Malthouse, who coached Collingwood to its most recent premiership in 2010, called Crisp a “fantastic young man” despite the leaked messages.
“It’s still silly, and let’s face it, you’ve got to class it as stupid. But at the end of the day, I don’t know what penalty the AFL or Collingwood can give,” he told Nine’s Today.
“He wouldn’t have slept too well last night and if he can’t give 100 per cent he’s going to be just a little off I reckon. He’s going to be totally embarrassed.
“Collingwood, they will take everything into account. The embarrassment alone is a penalty.
“Apparently it’s taken place some time ago, so he has matured. I would suspect that he would be looking at it going, ‘How silly was I?’ So what can you really do outside of coming clean with it and then making some comment that you’re going forward?
“I think Collingwood is smart enough to realise that.
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“I do believe he is a fantastic young man. People make mistakes, and he’s clearly made one. I think the players would be supporting him. They will be a little bit worried about the reaction that’ll come from the Brisbane crowd.”
Crisp had been named in Collingwood’s line-up earlier in the week and there remains no indication at this stage that he will be a late omission.
Malthouse’s response came after former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire also spoke on the leaks.
“We’re not quite sure but we’re lead to believe it’s historical, it’s from a number of years back,” McGuire told Nine’s Footy Classified on Wednesday night.
“The Collingwood Football Club will do its due diligence with the AFL to see whether it was historical, whether it was private and confidential and whether Jack Crisp is the victim here.”
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