Costello misses mark with AFL rant

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Peter Costello is supposed to be good with figures. So, how did the former treasurer end up so far off the money with his attack on AFL players?

According to the former treasurer, St Kilda's summer of scandal and claims that a rather mature schoolgirl had sex with two Saints players means they shouldn't be looked to for inspiration in the classroom.

St Kilda's Pre-Season From Hell People out there are trying to break us, warns RiewoldtGilbert denies claims of assault in New ZealandSaints 'shooting themselves in the foot': Dwayne RussellSt Kilda's culture 'mirrors society', says Saints CEOLyon says scandals will alter development programsTeenager releases nude photos of unsuspecting Saints In fact, if Costello had his way, these testosterone-fuelled sex hunters would be less welcome than nits in the schoolyard.

The one-time Essendon No.1 ticket holder went as far as declaring "any right-thinking parent would quake with fear" to learn footballers were attending their daughter's school.

What do you make of Peter Costello's attack on AFL players? Was it justified? Have your say by leaving comments below.

Really, Pete? Even if said footballer was Jim Stynes, who kickstarted the inspirational Reach program in 1994 to help young people. The organisation now works with over 58,000 young Australians every year.

Or how about if Bombers great Michael Long - no doubt one of Costello's favourite players - turned up to offer guidance to young indigenous kids?

Chris Judd famously declared in 2005 that he thought it was "silly" that kids looked up to him and AFL players as role models.

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The Carlton skipper has since softened his stance and understands the impact he can have on young lives.

Judd and other AFL players can be perfect examples of setting goals, working hard, reaching for the stars. All the things we would love the youth of today to do.

As Costello points out in his Fairfax column, "footballers are not chosen for their moral principles".

"They do not go into a national draft for budding philanthropists. They can run and catch and kick a ball. What are the clubs thinking when they send them to schools to give guidance on life skills?" Costello writes.

Fortunately, the majority of them can make decent decisions when it comes to life and kicking the Sherrin.

And many of the young men plying their trade on AFL lists today have been inspired by heroes of the past.

Take Sydney Swans youngster Daniel Hannebery, one of the brightest young talents in the land.

"I remember when I was a kid I'd listen to AFL players and hang on every word and try to copy what they were doing. So I think that it's very important for us to set a good example," he said recently in the same newspapers Costello's crusade appeared on Wednesday.

"We have a strong culture at the club and the environment that we're trying to create is strongly connected with showing kids the right way to live.

"They see us as role models in that the things we do and say are what they're going to follow. It makes our job really important in that it's not just about winning footy games."

There are also a number of commitments outside football which we like doing, like going to schools, spending days with charities, going to hospitals, helping teachers out with training programs for kids, conducting footy clinics at night with work groups.

"There's a lot of different things which take up our week. It gives us a different dimension to our lives and careers."

Hannebery is 20 next week. He gets it.

And while it's not time to put the young Swan and his fellow professionals in front of a classroom to teach five days per week, we must have enough faith in them to  offer an insight and perhaps a little hope to the next generation of doctors, teachers and politicians.