WESTERN Bulldogs premiership ruckman Harvey Stevens believes his "shattered" grandson Michael Talia deserves a public apology after being accused of sharing game-sensitive information.
AFL.com.au spoke to Mr Stevens shortly after the League announced an investigation into allegations that Talia leaked information to his brother, Adelaide full-back Daniel, before the Bulldogs-Crows elimination final at the MCG in September – won by the Crows by seven points.
The Talia brothers denied the allegations, with the AFL last week clearing Michael of any wrongdoing.
Michael, who was an emergency for the elimination final, has since been traded to the Sydney Swans, but his grandfather is furious about his treatment by the Bulldogs.
Bulldogs 'troubled' by AFL probe
"What they've done to him, I'm just absolutely disgusted," Stevens, 85, who played in the Dogs' only premiership victory in 1954, told AFL.com.au.
"The day in question they reckon he passed on information was just ridiculous because the lad was so keen for them to win that day. It was just stupid.
"It was just like two boys … they say very little as far as those sort of things to one another, (they) just talk like we normally do about football."
Meanwhile Steven's wife, Elva, told News Corp that the Bulldogs' actions had ended the family's 88-year association with the club.
As well as Harvey Stevens, the Talias' great-grandfather Arthur played 64 games for Footscray between 1927 and 1932.
"We'll never have anything to do with them again, not under the present regime," Mrs Stevens said.
Harvey Stevens said his grandson – who wore his No.32 guernsey and was a lifelong Bulldogs supporter – had been "ambushed" at the club after the elimination final defeat.
The out-of-contract defender believed he was going to speak to coach Luke Beveridge about his playing future when he was instead told of the allegations.
"He went down there to talk to the coach and they just accused him of … passing on things to his brother," said Stevens, who played 72 games for the Dogs from 1953-57.
"He wanted to have a talk to the coach – he never got a chance. He rang the coach two or three times and the coach never spoke back to him. He was so disappointed. He wanted to know what his future was there.
"I sat down with my wife with him and we had a yarn to him and the kid was absolutely shattered with what he'd been charged with.
"I'm still very, very disgusted with the club that we've been connected with for so, so many years to think that they'd do this to our family.
"I'm just hoping that somewhere along the line there's a public apology for that boy because it's absolutely a disgrace."
The Bulldogs became aware of the allegations on the Monday following their September 12 elimination final defeat.
After conducting their own interviews into the matter, the Dogs referred the matter to the AFL integrity unit. The Crows insisted they didn't use any game-sensitive information from inside the Bulldogs' camp to their advantage in the seven-point win.
The Bulldogs said they were "troubled by certain aspects of the AFL investigation” following the release of the findings, adding the decision to refer the matter to the AFL "complied with our fundamental values and obligations".
Talia left the Kennel after playing 30 games – including 14 in 2015 – since he was drafted with pick 39 in the 2011 national draft.
Daniel and Michael Talia with their grandfather, Harvey Stevens, in 2013. Picture: AFL Media
