Outgoing GWS chief executive Dave Matthews has walked back his comments regarding player acquisition and retention in Tasmania, calling them "light hearted" after facing sharp criticism from AFL figures.
Speaking from Hong Kong on Tuesday, Matthews sought to clarify his weekend remarks made during 3AW coverage on Saturday, where he said Tasmania "is a nice place to visit, but I don't think it's an unbelievable place to have a career and live."
The comment came as the Giants attempt to re-sign Tom Green, who has drawn interest from the Tasmanian Devils as a free agent at the end of next year.
Criticism from Hinkley and Gale
Speaking in Hobart on Monday, Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley labelled Matthews' comments "uneducated."
"What was Dave doing? Is he unemployed?" Hinkley said. "If you're uneducated, you don't know. That's really important, you've got to know what you're talking about when it comes to the lifestyle."
Hinkley drew comparisons to Geelong's success as a community club, saying Tasmania has a similar feel. "It's got a community feel. There's a great opportunity for people to grow their families. It's not just a football place, it's a family place. There's a lot of people who will love the lifestyle of Tasmania."
However, the most stinging response came from Devils boss Brendon Gale, who labelled Matthews "the prince of Balmoral."
"It's a bit rich of Dave to lean in given he's never lived there," Gale said. "In fact, he's never lived in west Sydney either. The prince of Balmoral, Dave Matthews. I'll leave it at that. I love Dave and I think he's done a great job. No offence taken."
Matthews clarifies remarks
When contacted, Matthews sought to clarify his weekend comments. "Right now I am CEO of the Giants so we are competing," Matthews told SEN and 7NEWS on Tuesday afternoon. "That's the reality. Brendon knows it was light hearted because I have been on record repeatedly supporting the Devils."
Matthews added that he had discussed the difficulty of building a club with Gale. "I have discussed the difficulty of building a club with him. He knows how hard it will be to attract players. And more to the point retain them. That's the challenge. And I do hope it works for the sake of the competition."
It is understood Matthews and Gale have also communicated via text message in the last 24 hours. Gale also worked alongside Matthews' brother, Simon, at Richmond for several years.
