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AFL: AFL 360 co-hosts Gerard Whateley and Mark Robinson debate whether a lack of penalty for Eddie McGuire and James Brayshaw looks ridiculous after the heavy fines handed down to North Melbourne and Brad Scott.

Collingwood FC President Eddie McGuire leaves the club after a board meeting in the wake of his controversial comments. Picture: Ian Currie

NETBALL Australia chief executive Kate Palmer says Eddie McGuire’s infamous radio jibe “doesn’t change” her sport’s relationship with its new expansion team Collingwood.

But Palmer hoped netball could play a role in “supporting and changing society’s attitudes towards women” in its new relationship with the AFL club.

Collingwood is one of Netball Australia’s preferred bidders for three new teams in an expanded and revamped eight-team national league, starting next year.

Palmer’s comments came as Netball Australia and Collingwood representatives met yesterday with Netball Tasmania to discuss a potential partnership that could see national netball league games played in the apple isle.

As the fall out from McGuire’s Triple M drowning comments continued yesterday, Palmer said Netball Australia had spoken with the Magpies about the controversy, but remained committed to establishing a long-term partnership.

“It doesn’t change our relationship with them. In actual fact we want to play a role in helping them deliver a community club where everyone feels safe and welcome,’’ Palmer said.

“We are really committed to our relationship … it’s absolutely not appropriate for him to make those statements.

“But this is about a long-term partnership and I think we have a role to play in supporting and changing society’s attitudes towards women and equality.’’

Netball Australia last week joined the AFL, NRL and Australian Rugby Union in signing the Our Watch leadership statement to commit to preventing violence against women across the sporting community.

Netball Australia boss Kate Palmer says she will still work with the Magpies following club president Eddie McGuire’s comments.Source:News Corp Australia

Palmer said Netball Australia had “felt welcomed, supported, always respected” in its dealings with Collingwood and McGuire in working to establish a new netball team.

“We have no legal relationship with them at the moment, so I can’t ring him (McGuire) and come down heavy, that’s not my role,’’ Palmer said.

“My role at the moment is to discuss how we are going to manage our relationship going forward.

“I would expect that we would be able to play a role in making sure they deliver all the things that they want to deliver to their community.’’

Meanwhile, Palmer said the talks with Netball Tasmania and Collingwood could lead to the Magpies playing national netball league games in Tasmania.

There has also been talk of a Tasmanian return to the second-tier ANL to become a potential feeder team for the Magpies.

“This is about what relationship we can have with the Tasmanian community,’’ Palmer said.

“We’d hope that we’d have NNL games down there.’’