Pat Naish, a player for the West Coast Eagles, recently opened up about a controversial incident during a night out with friends that has drawn significant attention. Naish told his inspiring story in an interview for 7NEWS.com.au’s brand new podcast What Could’ve Been. He described the protests that resulted in suspension for him and most of his teammates.
Naish, a former Richmond player who was delisted in 2021, had a big one with his former teammates from the club. One specific incident influenced their relationship over the course of their time together. To ensure there were no crossed wires, he gave then-Eagles captain Luke Shuey plenty of notice about his plans which he thought would avoid any potential mix-up. This well-intentioned day turned out to be anything but innocent, as their planned event became one of the biggest national controversies of 2022.
Naish was initially brought on to the Eagles in early 2022 during the pre-season supplemental selection period (SSP). In fact, he appeared in 11 contests for the club just last season. During his recent night out, he stated he consumed four beers and left the nightclub by 10:30 PM, believing his actions were within reasonable limits.
“I reckon I had four beers, like I wasn’t even (doing anything bad).” – Pat Naish
Well, Naish had a different take. It became a much larger story when he and six other Eagles players were each fined $5,000 for violating COVID-19 protocols by being photographed at the Perth nightclub. The aftermath of that event led to a lot of outside, as well as inside, the club embarrassment and scrutiny.
Take Eagles head coach Adam Simpson at his word when he says he’s shattered by the incident, that it brought him to tears. He underscored how critical this moment is, especially with all the long-lasting impacts we are still facing due to the pandemic. Simpson called the players’ actions a “severe lapse in judgement” and fully admitted that it has repercussions.
“Because he goes, ‘Mate, we found you, we gave you a second life and you’ve repaid us like this’.” – Pat Naish
Simpson went on to comment on the lack of accountability on the team. He stated, “Decisions have been made, sanctions have been laid and now we need to get on with it.” Further, he validated the players’ regrets on dumb decisions. They need to take this event as a lesson and promise not to make the same mistake twice.
Unfortunately, the repercussions of this one night out have gone far beyond paying a few fines. And the public response has been fierce. A slapped wrist. However misguided, millions of angry fans and commentators quickly blamed the players for their abysmal judgment amid a fragile peace period. Given all of this scrutiny, Naish was surprised at how big the incident blew up in Western Australia.
“From there, in WA, it was literally like the biggest news ever.” – Pat Naish
The Eagles, for their part, seem more concerned with putting this issue behind them. Naish and Simpson concede that trust can’t be magically restored overnight. The coach’s commitment to holding players accountable while fostering a supportive environment remains crucial for the team’s future success.
