ANGRY AKER STANDS UP FOR HANDSTAND
BY STEPHEN BAKER
WESTERN Bulldogs star Jason Akermanis has revealed his anger at members of the team’s leadership group who attempted to chastise him for last Saturday night’s post-match victory handstand at TIO Stadium in Darwin.
The Bulldogs defeated Port Adelaide by 54 points in stifling conditions.
The 31 year-old Akermanis, arguably in career best form and a $14 chance in this year’s Brownlow medal betting with Sportsbet, revealed last night on Melbourne radio that the handstand was part of a personal tribute to a family member.
“I said to my wife’s grandfather who passed away on the Wednesday that I’d give him a handstand this year, and I was hoping that it would be at the end of the year, but he didn’t make it, so I figured I could do it on the week that he passed away,” said a disappointed Akermains.
“I did that and I was pretty upset and I must admit, I was close to punching a couple of those blokes out because I was that disappointed,” he said.
The three-time premiership player and 2001 Brownlow medalist had been banned from doing his signature victory celebration by the Bulldog’s leadership group earlier this season.
“I did the handstand and a few of my team mates saw it and a few of them came over and said ‘that’s not what we stand for, that’s not what we do,’ and that was their reference to that being an individual thing and not a team thing” said Akermanis.
“I said to them look, I’m sorry, I’m sorry for not asking you, but I’m certainly not sorry for doing it,” he said.
FOOTYHEADS: Should the leadership group discipline Aker for breaking team rules?
