West Coast Eagles coach Adam Simpson has been accused of double-standards after selecting Josh Rotham just hours after slamming the player’s decision to attend a nightclub after last week’s match.
Rotham and teammate Jackson Nelson were photographed attending a popular Perth night spot the day after the Eagles’ 109-point loss to Richmond last Friday, with Simpson saying he was left “furious and disappointed” by the players’ actions.
However, just hours after the Eagles’ statement condemning the players for their clubbing exploits, Rotham was named as an inclusion in Simpson’s team to face Brisbane on Saturday night, his first match since round five.
READ MORE: Disgraced golf legend’s secret $56m loss exposed
READ MORE: Gould tees off on ‘stupidest rule you’ve ever heard’
READ MORE: ‘Incredible’ Nadal survives ‘epic’ Madrid Open marathon
The decision left AFL commentator Andy Maher and Port Adelaide premiership-winner Kane Cornes scratching their heads.
“I actually truly cannot believe this,” Maher said on SEN. “It’s actually unbelievable.”
“There’s someone else (they could’ve picked)… one of those (emergencies instead).
“Does it undermine what Adam Simpson said? Yes. So what are they doing?
“Josh Rotham is not going to make any difference in this game. Josh Rotham makes no difference to the bigger picture to what West Coast are doing and the reaction to what they did and to the words of the coach in the statement, Josh Rotham has to be out of that side.
“Surely the club has the right under these sort of circumstances to take (a top-up player).”
“You can’t bring him in,” Cornes said on AFL Nation.
“They have access to 20 top-up players, don’t they? It’s not going to matter whether he plays… he’s not going to be the difference between them being competitive or not.
“Just make a stand… at least set some sort of standard at the club.
“Absolutely they should go to the top-up pool and pick, rather than pick a player who was out at a nightclub when the last thing they needed was this embarrassment.”
Rotham is one of seven inclusions for West Coast this week, with Greg Clark, Nelson, Luke Strnadica and Alex Witherden all out of last week’s team due to being in health and safety protocols.