Jason Akermanis says he welcomes an official investigation after being at the centre of a complaint for breaching the AFL Victoria cyber safety policy.
Akermanis, in his role as North Albury coach, is alleged to have repeatedly abused Ovens and Murray Football-Netball League umpire development manager Mark Bywater through text messages, emails and while pinpointing alleged umpire errors in videos he had sent the league.
The league is expected to announce within days that an investigation will begin into the Brisbane Lions' triple premiership star and Brownlow medallist.
The Border Mail reported that AFL North East Border regional manager John O'Donohue confirmed the complaint had been lodged with the league. It said the cyber safety policy was introduced three years ago, and had yet to be used in the North East.
Akermanis, who played his final match last weekend but coached on Saturday against Myrtleford and will remain in that role for the next two seasons, said he welcomed an investigation.
"We will get to the bottom of it. I welcome the investigation because hopefully we can get to the real issue – they keep making it about me," he told Fairfax Media on Saturday.
"Everyone wants to make it about Jason Akermanis instead of the real problem which is what we are complaining about, which is the umpiring standard, his (Bywater) role.
"The fact that this has gone on record, it's supposed to be confidential ... all I can say is I welcome the investigation.
"I look forward to talking to the investigation officer. I will show him exactly what we have been doing. I have nothing to hide. I certainly won't be taking a backward step when you are talking about people that cannot do their job properly."
Akermanis said the standard of umpiring had been so poor it was potentially dangerous.
"It can be. It certainly hasn't been up to the standard of what we desire," he said. "Certainly, the footballing aspect has been fantastic and it's been a real, I suppose, common complaint amongst the O and M clubs and the O and M coaches as well.
"If they are going to get me, there are five other coaches that have sent the same material.
"We are pulling our hair out about these decisions which are made that are just so ludicrous – they (umpires) don't even know the rules."
The colourful Akermanis said he regularly swore when talking, and had done so in the videos he had sent the league.
"We swear on the video – we say what the f--- is this? What is this f---ing umpire doing?"
O'Donohue told The Border Mail that Akermanis and the club had been warned about the alleged behaviour.
"From an employee point of view we've got to provide a safe workplace," O'Donohue said.
"Cyber bullying is probably one of the most serious offences in the game. It is not spur of the moment."
A coach and junior players have reportedly been suspended for cyber bullying in the Goulburn Valley for between six weeks and six months.
While happy to have his say in terms of an investigation, Akermanis admitted the drama wouldn't help his hopes of eventually returning to the AFL as an assistant coach, having had his career ended in acrimonious circumstances when with the Western Bulldogs in 2010.
"Not if they (umpires) keep complaining about this – but I'll be right," he said.
