Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd says he wished Dylan Shiel and his Bombers teammates stood up to Sydney’s Luke Parker after the midfielder was seen taunting his rival during the Swans’ 58-point win on Saturday night.
With Sydney well on top near the mid-point of the match, Parker, after kicking a goal, turned to Shiel and appeared to mock him by shrugging his shoulders in an attempt to poke fun at the midfielder’s efforts around the ball.
Lloyd said Parker’s actions were a clear example of disrespect and said he wished Shiel “ploughed straight thorough Parker” in response.
IN PICTURES: The incredible career of Andrew Symonds
READ MORE: Tubby ‘can’t quite believe’ another cricket great is dead
READ MORE: Why Aussies will remember Symonds for this moment
“You never, ever want to be walked over in life or disrespected in any way. I thought Dylan Shiel was disrespected in a way you never wanted to be treated as a footballer,” Lloyd said on Nine’s Sunday Footy Show.
“I would’ve ploughed straight thorough Parker here, got him to the ground and said, “you will never, ever treat me like that again”.
“I’d cannon into him. If you don’t give away a free kick, even better… Dylan Shiel isn’t that type of player to do it, but I would’ve loved for someone else to do it on his behalf.”
The loss for Essendon keeps them in 16th spot on the ladder, with just two wins in nine games.
Lloyd said he hopes Essendon coach Ben Rutten uses Parker’s taunt as a way to reestablish some “nastiness”.
“I think that will be something Ben Rutten will show and say this is how you are viewed Dylan and this is how us as a team are being viewed. Where’s the nastiness gone?” he said.
“You can be not as talented as another team, but effort doesn’t come into it – 30 tackles says it all, a lack of defence says it all. They’re too nice and there’s no ruthless streak whatsoever. I think the side would’ve loved to have seen him (Shiel) bowl him (Parker) over,” he said.
“You’ve got to start somewhere… I’m not talking about knocking someone into tomorrow, I’m talking about making a statement that you’re not going to be walked all over and they are being walked all over.”
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!