Why Noah Answerth mocked Harrison Petty with 'crybaby' gesture: Dayne Zorko sledge drama reignited

Kieran Francis

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Why Noah Answerth mocked Harrison Petty with 'crybaby' gesture: Dayne Zorko sledge drama reignited image

A simmering feud between Melbourne and Brisbane has been reignited after Lion defender Noah Answerth mocked Demon forward Harrison Petty with a 'crybaby' gesture.

The incident occurred in the last quarter after Petty missed a shot for goal as the Lions secured an impressive 22-point win over Melbourne at the MCG on Thursday night.

MORE: Revealed: Dayne Zorko's vile sledge to Harrison Petty

But why did Answerth mock Petty and what could the ramifications be of the altercation?

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During the final term, Answeth was seen mocking Petty by rubbing his eyes after the Demon missed a set shot for goal.

Petty didn't react to the sledge from his opponent but looked disappointed during the incident.

Answeth's gesture was seen on the Channel 7 broadcast with Brian Taylor referring to a previous altercation between the two teams.

"Is this Answerth, with the history that’s gone on between these guys ... crybaby?" Taylor questioned.

"Players don’t forget, do they?"

Why Answerth mocked Petty with 'crybaby' gesture?

Answerth's 'crying motion' toward Petty appears to be a reference to a 2022 incident between the two teams.

During a match between Melbourne and Brisbane at the Gabba in 2022, Petty was seen to visibly emotional at three-quarter time after an exchange with Zorko and the incident made for a tense and at time ill-tempered final term.

Following the match, several Demons players were seen speaking with Zorko before the Lions skipper had a chat with Petty after which they shook hands.

The Herald Sun reported Zorko's sledge to be: "I hope your mother dies."

The AFL took no action against Zorko for his words, with the organisation content with an apology from the Lions skipper and the way both clubs handled the incident.

What the coaches and Zorko said about Answerth actions?

Zorko on ABC radio: "I’ll probably go have a word with him. That’s not the way we want to win.

"Heat of the moment, stuff happens. I’m sure he’d have fixed it up after the game."

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin at his post-match press conference: "I didn’t see it, what happened?

"Probably ask Fages (Chris Fagan) when he comes in, that’s up to them."

Brisbane coach Chris Fagan said he had no seen the incident and had no further comment.

Will Answerth be punished for his actions toward Petty?

It's unlikely Answerth will face official sanction from the AFL or his club for the mocking of Petty.

However, a reprimand from his club is likely, particularly based on the comments on the incident made by Zorko.

It is another test case for the AFL with mental health becoming an increasingly important issue in the sport.

Kieran Francis

Kieran Francis Photo

Kieran Francis is a senior editor at The Sporting News based in Melbourne, Australia. He started at Sportal.com.au before being a part of the transition to Sporting News in 2015. Just prior to the 2018 World Cup, he was appointed chief editor of Goal.com in Australia. He has now returned to The Sporting News where his passions lay in football, AFL, poker and cricket - when he is not on holiday.