A Perth radio station today aired comments suggesting Shaun would this week announce his retirement from the AFL after 220 matches with Fremantle. These comments were baseless and Shaun soon made his feelings clear about the affair.
“I’m really disappointed and I think it showed a bit of a lack of respect for me as a person,” Shaun said.
“It’s disappointing to hear rumours about yourself. I’m sure if people in the general community had untrue things said about them they’d get disappointed.
“I’ve been here (Fremantle) for 14 years. I have given great service to the Fremantle Football Club and I’ve given great service to WA football in my opinion so to have people starting rumours about you and saying things like that is disappointing.
“I believe I have given enough time to football in general to have some respect in the game, which I know I have got at this football club. I’m respected by a lot of AFL players and AFL people and I thought it was unwarranted for people to start with that stuff,” Shaun said.
Despite the frustration of having to respond to unsubstantiated claims about his playing future, Shaun said the comments would have no impact on his or the team’s preparation ahead of their clash with the Demons on Sunday at the MCG. He said the team took a lot of positives out of its nail biting one point loss to Geelong last Friday night and would use the extended nine day break to improve them further ahead of their meeting with Melbourne.
“We put up a pretty brave effort and a good effort but we’re looking for higher standards than that,” Shaun said of Friday’s loss to the reigning Premiers.
“Whether it was Geelong or Melbourne this weekend or Essendon or whoever, our standards need to be higher.
“I think it is all starting to come together but time will tell. I thought our last half against Adelaide was really positive and that’s what we took into Friday night’s game.
“I’m sure most people were entertained by the way we played. We weren’t quite good enough but we’re certainly heading in that direction.
“I do think we’re a better side than what 1-5 (wins-losses) says but we’re 1-5 so we’ve got to stick with reality and hopefully by the end of this week it will be 2-5,” Shaun said.
