Upset fans should sit in silence, rather than boo great players, according to Jimmy Bartel and Mike Sheahan.
Booing is back on the agenda in football circles following Essendon fans' treatment of Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury following Thursday's Anzac Day match.
That came after Gary Ablett was booed during Geelong's Easter Monday win over Hawthorn.
MORE: 'It's about to explode': Commentators 'concerned' at fans' actions post-Anzac Day clash
Pendlebury, who picked up 38 touches in the Magpies' four-point win over the Bombers, was booed as he collected the best-on-ground medal.
"Shame on anyone that booed a champion."#AFLDonsPies pic.twitter.com/3RiVXlaxDY
— AFL.com.au (@AFLcomau) April 25, 2019
"We have to get past this booing thing," McGuire said.
"Let's just get it out of the game. Boo the umpires if you think you're getting robbed, that's okay."
With the matter still a hot topic on Friday, former Geelong champ Bartel suggested fans ought to show more respect during presentations.
"I wasn’t comfortable with that yesterday," Bartel said on Macquarie Sports Radio.
"They can claim 'oh, we were booing the umpires' – spare me, the umpires went off the ground 10 minutes ago and it actually went to another level when Scott Pendlebury started talking,
"You should be a little embarrassed by it because he is a champion of the game.
"If you’re upset, just sit there in silence.
"The game was over, we were at the medal presentation, if you’re upset, why are you booing? They went to an extra level to boo Scott Pendlebury."
Veteran journo Sheahan, appearing on SEN, also thought the booing was distasteful.
"If you don't want to acknowledge a champion, don't do anything, just stand there and watch it," Sheahan said.
