Lions McCluggage regrets whiteboard leak defends culture

Brisbane Lions co-captain Hugh McCluggage expressed regret over a leaked opposition analysis whiteboard ahead of the club's victory over Essendon last Saturday while defending the team's culture amid an investigation into a draftee's alleged use of a homophobic slur in a VFL match.

Speaking on Tuesday, McCluggage addressed the image of a whiteboard from the Lions' training base, which listed Essendon players' strengths and weaknesses and circulated on social media. The analysis, photographed by a member of the public during an Auskick session, included the name of former Lions player Jaxon Prior's partner, Bronte, listed next to Prior under strengths. The pair had been housemates during Prior's time at the club.

"It's obviously regrettable that that got out. It wasn't meant to be in the public," McCluggage said. "We'll learn from it. Privacy and security needs to be lifted around the place." He confirmed speaking with Prior, adding, "If we had our time again, we wouldn't have involved his partner in it, it's as simple as that. But things stand in a really good place. I've called him, I've spoken to him about his partner as well, and we'll leave it at that out of respect for the...