February 14, 2025 • 7 mins
Australian soccer captain Sam Kerr can breathe easy, avoiding a prison sentence after being accused of racially harassing a London police officer.
The 31-year-old has been found not guilty after calling an officer stupid and white after a night out in 2023.
It followed a cleaning cost dispute with her taxi driver, who drove her and her partner to the police station.
Australian Correspondent Adam Peacock unpacked the decision.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
We've got our boarding pass to go to Australia and
our Aussie correspondent, Adam Peacock is on the line. As
we do around this time every Saturday afternoon, we get
across the ditch and say good day to Adam Peacock,
afternoon morning whatever. Always a busy week across the Tesman.
And look, this Sam Kerr story was huge, but it's
(00:33):
now come to an end. And look a good result
for Sam Kerr overall, isn't it. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
I mean it's a complex issue, everything that's happened. It's
obviously not ideal that Sam found herself in that situation. Well,
had a big night out, a lot of opinion about
what should happen Now to Sam Kerr, I'm just kind
of pleased that it's resolved itself wishing the wrong to
(01:00):
find wrong. I mean we've all gone out and had
a big night out and you know I behaved in
a way that you look back on and go, oh
that correct? Was that right? I think looking at the
whole bit of vision and the whole of it is available.
The thirty minutes. She's doesn't feel like she's done anything
criminally wrong. So yeah, now everyone hopefully can get on
with life. But it's not going to be that simple
(01:21):
because there's now questions over whether or not should be
captain or not, so that remains to be saying.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
What's the public feeling in Australia. Should she remain captain?
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Yeah, a lot of people think that she should just
get on with life and it's normal, like it's how
she was viewed before this incident. Others think that there's
no way the world she should be a leader again.
My personal view is that I don't think she should
be stripped of a captaincy. I thought a long time
ago when she was actually made captain. I'm not sure
(01:53):
if it's suited exactly what she needed in her life,
if you know what I mean. She was happy to
be captain, she wasn't forced into it. But I just
think that Sam is a leader through action. She's a
leader in the dressing room. Does she needed that a
layer of responsibility or always take talking to the media
and having that scrutiny. Probably not so. I don't know.
(02:13):
It might look too convenient now to take away from
the captaincy. But it's up to Football Australia to communicate
it properly whatever decision they come up with, and I
hope they do that.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Matthew Kernerman, the Aussie spinner, sighted for a suspect action
or reported I probably should say for a suspect action
over the course of the week. It's like there's a
prude to film watching it in slow motion. This is
it isn't even nice when a player gets called for
this sort of thing. What was your the take on it?
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Yes, I just can't see how he can reach the
Test match level and then something like that all of
a sudden become an issue. Now Mattie Cernaman has had
questions around his action before, both domestically here in Australia.
Domestically here in Australia, I should say, obviously has jumped
over those turtles whatever's been put in front of him
because he's been selected to play for Australia. I don't
(03:02):
get how, all of a sudden then an umpire can
turn around and go, oh, actually his action looks at
it dodgy and now this whole cloud comes over his
entire career again. I think is grossly unfair. Personally, there's
got to be better ways of dealing with this in
the lead up to becoming a Test cricketer, rather than
getting on that stage and then all of a sudden
his action being called into question by one of the
(03:23):
on field umpires. So now he's got to go through
this whole rigmarole of proving that he doesn't chuck the
ball by the letter of the law and by the
angle of his arm and all of that. So, yeah,
it's a head scratcher administration wise that it can get
to that. But that's what Maddie Kernerman has got to
go through now to prove that he doesn't chuck.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
It's one of those things. And I rember the Darryl
here one with when he noboard Merley Duran and the
mid nineties. That was huge at the time and it's
a story that still resonates, what about thirty years on.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Yeah, because that happened in the middle of a Test
match and he kept on no balling him instead of
giving him warnings. Instead it's all like a surprise attack
on him, which was grossly unfair at that time as well,
and it was himurely. He was a very young player
at that time. Went on to have an amazing career,
so it was obviously all okay how he was bowling,
but seriously, that was a that was a circus that
(04:14):
just did not need to happen. And hopefully Matt Kerneman
can avoid similar sight.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
And look super rugby underway as of last night, the
waratas getting to win over the Highlanders. It might be
the year, it might be Australia's year in super rugby.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Finally, yeah, one night, So let's all calm down, but
it's and they're not the Blues and they're not the
chiefs the Highlanders, with all due respect to them. A
bit of a buzz about got to say about rugby
starting again over here, and I think that is sw
Lee coming in Joseph, because Lee so the fact that
(04:47):
he started as a news wires are and played okay
by all all reports, both very good judges, not just
people like me who watch it occasionally. So yeah, it's
it's good that rugby's back well, not on like firmly
in the spotlight, but getting a bit of a say
over here. And the back end of last year with
(05:08):
the spread tours certainly helped. Having a British and Irish
Lions folded into a World Cup campaign not too far away.
That'll help and so we'll our super rugby clubs going Okay,
the Bumbies will be the benchmark again I think for Australia.
But having all these Melbourne Rebels players having that club
dissolved and then those players good ones filtering back into
(05:31):
the other other clubs and their systems has strengthened. So
hopefully that does strength in Australia's cause on this stage
against some of you.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
But as I was at the Super Rugby launch in
Sydney for it for a day last week, Joseph suelite,
you would have reeled off. I think about twelve interviews
in a space about three hours. He's twenty one years old,
but he has a professionalism of a thirty year old.
I think he's going to be good for rugby in Australia.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Yeah, he's a pretty level headed kid. He's got his
head switched on, which is good and rugby needs that
needs good players first and foremost, but good people as well,
and a lot of them are of the rugby boys
are just good humans. And Joseph because I certainly certainly
fits that bill and I just you're just wanting to
have a clear runway health wise and all the good
(06:17):
players here from Australia because we don't have that layer
of depth that I reckon you require to consistently get
results on the international stades against the very good sides.
But that's what this competition is meant to build and
hopefully you can continue to go in the right direction
because it feels like it is in the last couple
of years.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Indeed. Well, Adam Peacock, thank you very much for your
time with you the best luck and we'll catch up
again next weekend.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
Sounds good. Cheers mate.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Adam Peacock joining our says he always does around this
time on a Saturday afternoon, talking all things Australia and sport,
and no shortage of topics to get stuck into, that
is for sure with Adam this week. That's Simking is
of course, plenty of interest on both sides of the
Tasman here and in the UK. We're reading a whole
range of perspectives on that matter.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine Life to
News Talks It B weekends from midday or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
We've got our boarding pass to go to Australia and
our Aussie correspondent, Adam Peacock is on the line. As
we do around this time every Saturday afternoon, we get
across the ditch and say good day to Adam Peacock,
afternoon morning whatever. Always a busy week across the Tesman.
And look, this Sam Kerr story was huge, but it's
(00:33):
now come to an end. And look a good result
for Sam Kerr overall, isn't it. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
I mean it's a complex issue, everything that's happened. It's
obviously not ideal that Sam found herself in that situation. Well,
had a big night out, a lot of opinion about
what should happen Now to Sam Kerr, I'm just kind
of pleased that it's resolved itself wishing the wrong to
(01:00):
find wrong. I mean we've all gone out and had
a big night out and you know I behaved in
a way that you look back on and go, oh
that correct? Was that right? I think looking at the
whole bit of vision and the whole of it is available.
The thirty minutes. She's doesn't feel like she's done anything
criminally wrong. So yeah, now everyone hopefully can get on
with life. But it's not going to be that simple
(01:21):
because there's now questions over whether or not should be
captain or not, so that remains to be saying.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
What's the public feeling in Australia. Should she remain captain?
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Yeah, a lot of people think that she should just
get on with life and it's normal, like it's how
she was viewed before this incident. Others think that there's
no way the world she should be a leader again.
My personal view is that I don't think she should
be stripped of a captaincy. I thought a long time
ago when she was actually made captain. I'm not sure
(01:53):
if it's suited exactly what she needed in her life,
if you know what I mean. She was happy to
be captain, she wasn't forced into it. But I just
think that Sam is a leader through action. She's a
leader in the dressing room. Does she needed that a
layer of responsibility or always take talking to the media
and having that scrutiny. Probably not so. I don't know.
(02:13):
It might look too convenient now to take away from
the captaincy. But it's up to Football Australia to communicate
it properly whatever decision they come up with, and I
hope they do that.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Matthew Kernerman, the Aussie spinner, sighted for a suspect action
or reported I probably should say for a suspect action
over the course of the week. It's like there's a
prude to film watching it in slow motion. This is
it isn't even nice when a player gets called for
this sort of thing. What was your the take on it?
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Yes, I just can't see how he can reach the
Test match level and then something like that all of
a sudden become an issue. Now Mattie Cernaman has had
questions around his action before, both domestically here in Australia.
Domestically here in Australia, I should say, obviously has jumped
over those turtles whatever's been put in front of him
because he's been selected to play for Australia. I don't
(03:02):
get how, all of a sudden then an umpire can
turn around and go, oh, actually his action looks at
it dodgy and now this whole cloud comes over his
entire career again. I think is grossly unfair. Personally, there's
got to be better ways of dealing with this in
the lead up to becoming a Test cricketer, rather than
getting on that stage and then all of a sudden
his action being called into question by one of the
(03:23):
on field umpires. So now he's got to go through
this whole rigmarole of proving that he doesn't chuck the
ball by the letter of the law and by the
angle of his arm and all of that. So, yeah,
it's a head scratcher administration wise that it can get
to that. But that's what Maddie Kernerman has got to
go through now to prove that he doesn't chuck.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
It's one of those things. And I rember the Darryl
here one with when he noboard Merley Duran and the
mid nineties. That was huge at the time and it's
a story that still resonates, what about thirty years on.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Yeah, because that happened in the middle of a Test
match and he kept on no balling him instead of
giving him warnings. Instead it's all like a surprise attack
on him, which was grossly unfair at that time as well,
and it was himurely. He was a very young player
at that time. Went on to have an amazing career,
so it was obviously all okay how he was bowling,
but seriously, that was a that was a circus that
(04:14):
just did not need to happen. And hopefully Matt Kerneman
can avoid similar sight.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
And look super rugby underway as of last night, the
waratas getting to win over the Highlanders. It might be
the year, it might be Australia's year in super rugby.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Finally, yeah, one night, So let's all calm down, but
it's and they're not the Blues and they're not the
chiefs the Highlanders, with all due respect to them. A
bit of a buzz about got to say about rugby
starting again over here, and I think that is sw
Lee coming in Joseph, because Lee so the fact that
(04:47):
he started as a news wires are and played okay
by all all reports, both very good judges, not just
people like me who watch it occasionally. So yeah, it's
it's good that rugby's back well, not on like firmly
in the spotlight, but getting a bit of a say
over here. And the back end of last year with
(05:08):
the spread tours certainly helped. Having a British and Irish
Lions folded into a World Cup campaign not too far away.
That'll help and so we'll our super rugby clubs going Okay,
the Bumbies will be the benchmark again I think for Australia.
But having all these Melbourne Rebels players having that club
dissolved and then those players good ones filtering back into
(05:31):
the other other clubs and their systems has strengthened. So
hopefully that does strength in Australia's cause on this stage
against some of you.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
But as I was at the Super Rugby launch in
Sydney for it for a day last week, Joseph suelite,
you would have reeled off. I think about twelve interviews
in a space about three hours. He's twenty one years old,
but he has a professionalism of a thirty year old.
I think he's going to be good for rugby in Australia.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Yeah, he's a pretty level headed kid. He's got his
head switched on, which is good and rugby needs that
needs good players first and foremost, but good people as well,
and a lot of them are of the rugby boys
are just good humans. And Joseph because I certainly certainly
fits that bill and I just you're just wanting to
have a clear runway health wise and all the good
(06:17):
players here from Australia because we don't have that layer
of depth that I reckon you require to consistently get
results on the international stades against the very good sides.
But that's what this competition is meant to build and
hopefully you can continue to go in the right direction
because it feels like it is in the last couple
of years.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Indeed. Well, Adam Peacock, thank you very much for your
time with you the best luck and we'll catch up
again next weekend.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
Sounds good. Cheers mate.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Adam Peacock joining our says he always does around this
time on a Saturday afternoon, talking all things Australia and sport,
and no shortage of topics to get stuck into, that
is for sure with Adam this week. That's Simking is
of course, plenty of interest on both sides of the
Tasman here and in the UK. We're reading a whole
range of perspectives on that matter.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine Life to
News Talks It B weekends from midday or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
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