Hawthorn defends Franklin - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Hawthorn defends Franklin

04/06/2008 10:47:17 AM Comments (0)

AFL club Hawthorn has defended its star Lance Franklin despite claims by two women he made crude sexual remarks and threw a drink over them.

The club's chief executive Ian Robson also implied the public was prone to treating players poorly and urged them to show courtesy to footballers in public.

Mr Robson said the club had cleared Franklin of serious wrongdoing and he was yet to receive a complaint about him but the women involved were welcome to contact him.

"We'll continue to follow it up with the club (CQ Bar) because I am keen to see if there's any CCTV footage," he told Fairfax Radio.

"The allegation specifically is that he made a reference of a sexual connotation, which is specifically denied, and that a drink was thrown over the girls and their group, which is specifically denied.

"I have conducted what I believe to be a reasonable investigation on the basis of the facts presented to me.

"We were able to establish this by speaking to four of the eight players that were there."

Mr Robson said he had not spoken to the women, Jade Taylor and Amber Harding, who accused Franklin of the poor behaviour and arguing with and shoving their friend, Collingwood Footballer John Anthony.

Ms Harding told News Limited Franklin posed for a photo with her friend at CQ Bar in Queen Street about 1am on Sunday, but then asked for a "pash" before saying: "Can I f*** ya?"

Mr Robson also said he had not spoken to staff or bouncers at the Melbourne bar, where Franklin was thrown out by bouncers about 1am on Sunday.

"I ask and use this forum as a bit of a plea to ensure that members of the public, whether it be one in the afternoon in a coffee shop or one in the morning: demonstrate a little bit of civility and common courtesy in using words like please and thank you," he said.

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