'Embarrassed yourself': James Brayshaw blasts Caroline Wilson over 'baseless garbage'

Former North Melbourne president James Brayshaw has launched a stunning attack on Caroline Wilson over the AFL journalist’s reports the Kangaroos could relocate to Tasmania.

North Melbourne have previously been rumoured as an option to move to Queensland, and Wilson reignited that saga on Monday night on Footy Classified.

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The outspoken columnist said the Roos would be the most obvious option to relocate to Tasmania as the AFL continues to deal with the financial implications of the coronavirus crisis, claiming multiple clubs and AFL officials were supportive of the move.

But Wilson’s claims have not gone down well with Brayshaw, who spent nine years as president of North Melbourne.

“Caro, I would’ve thought the third-degree burns you sustained taking that position for 10 years might’ve stopped you going there again... it just shows you some people will never learn,” he said on Triple M on Tuesday.

“She knew nothing about the North Melbourne footy club when she was actually working, now she’s retired she knows even less. So here’s what I say to Caro: let it go, you’ve embarrassed yourself long enough.

“We’re in the middle of a coronavirus shutdown of the competition, now is not the time to be carrying on with that garbage.

“For a start it’s negative while we’re already dealing with enough negativity, but secondly it is baseless garbage and she knows it, and that makes what she says even worse.”

North Melbourne slam Tasmania reports

North Melbourne chairman Ben Buckley said the reports were “bloody disappointing”,

“That's rumour mongering which is unnecessary, unwarranted and has no basis,” Buckley told News Corp Australia.

“Any speculation is complete nonsense, is not on the agenda, is not being discussed and won't be discussed.

“I have never had one president discuss it with me, I've never had one CEO discuss it with myself, it's never been discussed with the AFL.

“It really is inaccurate, it's unhelpful, and ... bloody disappointing.”

Corey McKernan, who won two flags at North during a decorated career, was likewise stunned to see speculation heating up yet again.

“It’s just a ridiculous argument. You want to move a club that has made profits over the past 10 years when there’s others that are $13 million in debt,” McKernan told SEN Radio on Tuesday.

“If the game is in trouble, why are you saying we should go? I live in Queensland and I want the Suns to do well because it’s good for the game, but they are going spend hundreds of millions of dollars ensuring they can be successful.

“And you want North to go to Tasmania for financial reasons? It’s so flawed it’s not funny.

“If it wasn’t for James Brayshaw, North Melbourne wouldn’t be here, but this is a long-standing thing. Caroline had a personal agenda against James and she’s never been able to let it go when it comes to North Melbourne.”

AFL moves to ensure future of all clubs

The COVID-19 pandemic shutdown has created much uncertainty throughout the AFL, with chief executive Gillon McLachlan attempting to end some of the conjecture on Tuesday by declaring it will remain an 18-club league.

“We’re going into this with 18 clubs and we’ll go out with 18 clubs,” McLachlan told SEN Radio.

“That’s our commitment over the next four, six, eight, 10 months (however long it takes to get back to playing).

“Right now our task is to preserve revenue streams, cut costs … so when we can restart … (we restart) with 18 teams.”

with AAP