'Never seen that': AFL great slams 'rubbish' groping antics

A teammate would have been ‘knocked out’ if they attempted to grope someone in the locker room, Carlton and AFL great Mark Maclure says.

In an interview with the Herald Sun, the 65-year-old said groping incidents captured in the Richmond Tigers and St Kilda rooms in recent weeks were ‘not on’, suggesting players were able to get away with more now compared to his playing days.

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Maclure, who played 243 games for the Blues throughout the 1970s and ‘80s, said it was a sign of the times.

““I’ve never seen anything like that before in my life, ever,” he said.

“If it had’ve happened (back in the 70s/80s), the bloke who did it would have been knocked out.

“Life’s changed a bit. It’s got a bit softer and people tolerate rubbish. But I’m telling you, that stuff’s just not on.”

The three-time premiership winner with Carlton had support from another triple-flag winning former star in Brisbane’s Jonathan Brown, who also said he’d never seen any behaviour like that during his career.

“I certainly haven’t been involved in or seen any behaviour around the team song like that in the past, so it was very bizarre to be honest,” Brown said.

“I’m sure that’s a warning to the whole competition to keep your hands to yourself during the song.

“They need to get a garbage bin and bang that instead.”

AFL players urged to behave during club song

Patrick Dangerfield says AFL players need to remember they are role models for the wider community and "be better" following a series of groping incidents between players.

The AFL Players Association president - now in his 13th AFL season - cannot recall seeing any incidents similar to those recently brought to light with video footage from the Richmond and St Kilda change rooms.

But he believes it is incumbent on the entire playing group to make sure it is setting the right example, in particular for young fans.

"We've all got to be better," Dangerfield told SEN radio on Tuesday.

"We've all got to understand that, like it or not, as AFL players, we're role models in the community.

"However you think your own personal actions are, it's far more broad than that, so we've got to be really mindful of that.

"Richmond have acknowledged that and they're not alone with what's happened previously at football clubs at different stages.

"We've just got to be really cognisant of the fact that we are role models for the greater community and there's a standard that we need to uphold."