Drew Petrie says recent criticism of Lindsay Thomas is unfair, and is only too happy to call him a teammate at North.
In a revealing editorial for The Age, Petrie defended the actions which saw Thomas suspended for rough conduct a fortnight ago, and spoke of the small-forward’s dedication to his craft.
“There's a line out there and we've all crossed it. But most of the time it's not intentional,” he said.
“On the footy field we players get harshly judged after making split-second decisions. The guy with the ball is coming in my direction. He's moving fast. I have to stop him. Should I lay a tackle or go for a bump? It all happens within the blink of an eye.
“A few weeks ago, Lindsay Thomas was confronted with a similar scenario and elected to try to tackle Bulldog Lachie Hunter. His attempt slipped high and Hunter fell to the ground a bit dazed after Lindsay's forearm hit his head. Lindsay copped a one-match suspension and plenty of harsh and unjust criticism.
“OK, I get it. The tackler needs to show a duty of care when laying a tackle. It was spit-second stuff and perhaps a bit clumsy on Lindsay's part but not intentional, that's for sure. But we live and die by the sword and the club accepted the one-match ban – so case closed.”
Petrie believes Thomas is “unfairly maligned”.
“Many would be surprised to know, I'm sure, that he had not been suspended before the Hunter incident.”
The veteran Kangaroo opened up about Thomas’ challenges throughout his AFL career.
“”Boof”, as he's affectionately known, grew up in Port Lincoln, South Australia. As a teenager, he admits to not being the best kid at times, but had football to occupy most of his time and keep him on the straight and narrow.”
Thomas played his junior football at Mallee Park Football Club, before joining the Port Magpies, where he caught the eye of AFL scouts. He joined North via the 2006 National Draft.
“Moving from Port Lincoln to Adelaide was a daunting experience, but travelling to Melbourne all alone the very day after his name was called out was utterly frightening,” Petrie said.
“When he (Thomas) walked through the doors at Arden Street, he was painfully shy and timid, to the extent he struggled to look anyone in the eye.
“He lived with former North midfielder Brady Rawlings for a few weeks and I recall Brady being taken aback by how quiet he was. Even as teammates, it was hard to get much out of him. He gravitated to Daniel Wells and Matt Campbell and the trio were inseparable for a time.”
But Thomas slowly found his feet in new surroundings.
“I've watched Lindsay closely throughout the past decade and he has developed into an upstanding individual – thanks also to the wonderful support given to him by the club and its staff,” Petrie said.
“Although it took some time, Lindsay can look his teammates in the eye and give direct feedback to us on and off the field. He can stand in front of a classroom of kids in our community facility, The Huddle, and deliver a lengthy speech about never giving up on your dreams and about how to prosper in the face of adversity.”
That confidence is evident in Thomas’ on-field performances as well.
“He can withstand the incredible pressure of finals football at a packed MCG and he can overcome form slumps and the goalkicking yips that dogged him several years ago.”
Petrie said he’s to have Thomas back alongside him in the forward line against the Bombers.
“A highly skilled small forward, Boof always wears his heart on his sleeve and plays with an unbelievable amount of passion and desire.
“While that desperation and drive to win has seen him play for free kicks in years gone by, he's working hard to iron that out of his game. And you can't say he's the only one guilty of it. Let's be honest, I'm sure the team you follow has a crafty player who draws the boos of opposition supporters.
“I'm glad Lindsay's on my side because he'll do anything to win and never leaves anything out on the field.”
