Brisbane skipper Dayne Zorko admits his personal sledge that reduced Melbourne defender Harrison Petty to tears crossed the line, but insists he was provoked into the comment.
The Demons' thumping win over Brisbane on Friday night was overshadowed by Zorko's comment to Petty about a family member that left the 22-year-old in tears at three-quarter-time.
Zorko, who apologised post-match, spoke publicly about the incident for the first time on radio on Wednesday evening.
"At some point, it was important for me to speak," Zorko told SEN's The Run Home.
"I apologised to Harrison on the final siren and obviously that apology still stands, my remorse still stands. If I could take it (the sledge) back, there's no doubt I would.
"I want to get across that it was an intense game. Honestly, from the first bounce there was to-ing and fro-ing from both sides of the fence.
"Players across the field probably stepped up to the line all game, and I acknowledge that I certainly crossed that.
"I just reckon it's really important that Lions fans and fans in general understand that it wasn't just an unprovoked sledge, and it wasn't said in isolation."
When asked whether some Demons players had crossed the line with their own comments, Zorko said "potentially" but stressed he was in the wrong.
On Tuesday, Melbourne captain Max Gawn said he'd never heard as "deep" a personal sledge as Zorko's.
Zorko said he realised he'd overstepped the mark with a comment that had "triggered" Petty after the defender "made a beeline" for him at three-quarter time.
Brisbane haven't stripped Zorko of the captaincy and he expected to remain in the role until the players next elect their skipper.
"I've had extremely long conversations with our senior administration at the club. They've heard both sides of the story," he said.
"It should be well known I take my role as captain extremely seriously and I have ever since I took over five years ago.
"On that matter, the captaincy has always been a decision made by the players and our playing group, that's one thing that (coach Chris Fagan) and the administration have said 'whoever's captain will be chosen by their players and their teammates.'
"I guess for me, until that's up for decision again, I'll respect whatever the players choose to do when that happens. But that's all that we've sort of touched on the matter."
The AFL opted not to take the matter further and Zorko said he hadn't expected league intervention.
