Too classy: Sydney champion Adam Goodes' brilliant night on the field was spoilt late in the game. Photo: Getty Images
The AFL's indigenous round has been marred by a racial slur made by a young fan against Adam Goodes which overshadowed a virtuoso match-winning performance by the Sydney champion on Friday night.
A teenage girl wearing a Collingwood jumper is believed to be responsible for abusing Goodes in the closing stages of Sydney's 47-point victory. She was later escorted from the venue by stewards.
Goodes, who starred with 30 possessions and three goals, did not celebrate with his teammates on the ground after the game and headed into the dressing rooms where he received an apology from Collingwood president Eddie McGuire.
"We believe it's a young girl who yelled something over the fence at Adam," McGuire said.
Advertisement
"Clearly we're shattered that would happen to Adam tonight.
"He deserved to play the game that he did and to walk off to the salutations of the crowd and anything that takes away of it is the antithesis to everything we stand for in football, not just at the Collingwood Football Club.
"Tonight he should have come off on the shoulders of his teammates and I was disappointed that moment was taken from him."
McGuire said Goodes, although upset, was empathetic towards the perpetrator and did not want charges pressed against her.
"He's a good man Adam, he realised and told me of his own volition I think she's a 14-year-old girl I don't want anything to do with the police," McGuire said.
"Showing the mark of the man he was already understanding, showing empathy, upset but forgiving at the same time.
"My estimation for Adam, which couldn't be any higher, goes up another notch."
The incident has come at a terrible time for the AFL, which this weekend is celebrating the contributions made to the game by Australia's indigenous community.
It came 20 years after Nicky Winmar famously captured in a photograph standing up to fans who had abused him at Victoria Park by lifting his jumper and pointing to his skin.
North Melbourne's Sudanese-born star Majak Daw and indigenous pair Lindsay Thomas and Daniel Wells were also racially abused by a Hawthorn game earlier this season.
McGuire, however, was concerned for the welfare of the perpetrator and called for calm.
"You never know maybe this little girl is feeling like the whole world's falling on top of her and we have to look after her as well," McGuire said.
"It's not about putting people before the firing squad, it's about educating people and while we're all angry in the first instance it's like watching your kids when they do something wrong.
"You're angry at the start then you educate them, give them a cuddle and we can all grow from it.
"In many ways that's what the tone of this week has been that we've all grown up in the last 20 years and hopefully we all continue to.
"As disappointed and angry and all those emotions as I am at the same time my heart's breaking for this young girl and we have to make sure we look after her as well."
Sydney coach John Longmire accepted McGuire's apology.
"I thought it was an indication of how seriously he takes it," Longmire said.
Goodes received support from Geelong captain Joel Selwood on Twitter.
"Much respect for Adam Goodes on all fronts tonight," Selwood tweeted.