AFL Grand Final master of ceremony Basil Zempilas has admitted he made a mistake in not allowing Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin to make a speech after the Demons' premiership win against the Bulldogs.
Melbourne broke their 57-year flag drought with a 74-point thumping of Bulldogs at Optus Stadium on Saturday night, but the presentation of the premiership cup and medals was criticised after Goodwin didn't give a speech on the dais in the aftermath.
With the coach's winning speech always a much-vaunted and played back moment in a premiership win, Zempilas explained why Goodwin wasn't given the opportunity to speak.
"As they were having the team photo, I asked one of the people to go and get Simon let’s get him back up and let’s do it," Zempilas told Triple M radio.
"And I said Simon, 'my apologies, that was crazy,' and he said to me 'there’s so much going on, it’s fine, it’s fine.'
"And he stood next to me and we tried to get the PA down to be able to get Simon to say what he wanted to say in front of the crowd or whatever he might have been going to say.
"The PA I couldn’t reach, the cup had gone, and BT was down the side of stage and said 'I’ll grab him', and Simon was 'hey, no problem at all'."
Zempilas - who is also mayor of Perth - admitted the mistake was regrettable and that he hoped Melbourne's triumph and his career wouldn't be remembered for error.
"I don’t want that to be remembered as the moment from Melbourne’s great premiership victory,” he said.
"Clearly the moment that counts is the premiership cup going up.
"I realised that Simon Goodwin hadn’t spoken. Now that was regrettable, and that was a mistake.
"In the end — I’ve played this over lots and lots of times, as you do — I will say that despite what people might say, I pride myself on this sort of work.
"I pride myself on getting these big moments right. I’ve done four Australian Open presentations, five Melbourne Cup presentations, they’re big moments and you want to get them and that didn’t go exactly to plan, clearly.
"So that’s regrettable, and it’s disappointing for Simon."
