Longmire Says He Regrets Not Doing More For Adam Goodes During AFL Booing

What happened:

Former Sydney Swans coach John Longmire has said he regrets not doing more to support Adam Goodes during the final years of the two-time Brownlow medallist’s career, when Goodes was subjected to sustained booing from AFL crowds. According to The Guardian, Longmire writes in his autobiography that the treatment of Goodes was “diabolical, almost unforgivable”.

The sharpest line is not about tactics or selection. It is about intervention. Longmire says he should have threatened to pull Sydney players off the ground, a statement that reframes the episode as more than crowd behaviour or media controversy. In his own telling, it was a moment where stronger institutional resistance may have been warranted.

Why it matters:

Goodes’ final seasons remain a defining case study in how Australian sport handles racism, crowd hostility and responsibility for athlete welfare. Longmire’s regret matters because it comes from inside the football environment, from a coach who was close to the player and the club at the time. That does not rewrite what happened, but it adds a significant postscript: even those in positions of authority now believe the response fell short.

Tournament impact:

There is no match result or ladder consequence attached to this story, but the competitive relevance is clear. Player welfare is part of performance infrastructure. When a star player is forced to carry sustained off-field pressure, teams and leagues have to decide whether they treat it as background noise or as a threat to the integrity of competition itself. Longmire’s reflection points toward the latter.

What to watch:

The immediate follow-up is whether Longmire’s comments generate renewed discussion inside AFL circles about crowd management, club responsibility and what threshold should trigger a stronger match-day response. His reference to pulling players off the ground is especially important because it moves the debate from statements of support to possible action during games.

Confidence:

Confirmed by the source: Longmire has written about regret over his handling of Goodes’ treatment, described that treatment in severe terms, and said he should have threatened to remove Sydney players from the field. Still needing follow-up: whether the AFL, Sydney Swans, Goodes or other senior figures respond to the specific claim and whether any current policy discussion follows.