Headland sledge the biggest regret of selwood’s career

Jordan McArdleThe West Australian Ten years on from the most explosive incident in western derby history, West Coast Adam Selwood has extended an olive branch to nemesis Des Headland. On the

eve of the last ever derby at Subiaco Oval, Selwood said sledging the Docker about a tattoo of a female on his arm was the biggest regret of his 187-game AFL career. The 2006 premiership

Eagle, who remains at the club in a game development role, was adamant he didn’t realise at the time the ink on Headland’s arm was of his six-year-old daughter Madisan. The incident, which

happened in round three, 2007, and dragged well into the next week, was regarded as the lowest point of the relationship between the two WA clubs. Headland originally copped a three-match

ban for striking Selwood, but it was overturned after the tribunal ruled that provocation from Selwood constituted “exceptional and compelling circumstances”. “If there’s something I could

take back in my football career, it would be that incident because I am a big family man and it’s something that was unnecessary,” Selwood told Mix 94.5 yesterday. “But we move on, we learn

and I wish his family all the best.” Headland said on the Dead Set Legends show later that morning, that while he had long moved on from the incident, it was good to hear Selwood had finally

“taken ownership”. The 36-year-old, who finished his 166-game career at Fremantle after winning a premiership with the Brisbane Lions in 2002, said he was happy with “a bit of banter” on

the football field, as long as players’ children were kept out of it. Headland has three kids with his wife Chantelle — Madisan, Mason and Carson. “I haven’t spoken to Adam at all since that

incident so if he’s come on radio and said he regrets it, it’s good that he’s taken ownership after all these years that what he said was wrong,” Headland said. “It would be good if he gave

me a call, or an apology face to face would be even better. “At the end of the day, those things happen on the footy field (but) anything to do with kids should be left out of the game.

“I’ve moved on from it. That happened ... 10 years ago. All the best to Adam and his endeavours for the future. “Hopefully there’s a bit of banter out there on the footy field this weekend,

but above level.” If there’s something I could take back in my football career, it would be that incident. GET THE LATEST NEWS FROM THEWEST.COM.AU IN YOUR INBOX. Sign up for our emails